Basic Boltzmann Gas Concepts

Abstract

Ludwig Boltzmann was born in Austria in 1844. He took his own life in 1906 probably at least in part as the result of despondency over the difficulty of having his ideas accepted. Shortly after his death, his notions of gases and the atomic theory of matter in general were broadly embraced by the scientific community and continue to play important roles (Harris 1971). His “Lectures on Gas Theory” (Boltzmann 1964/1995) are useful reading.