Abstract
A mnemonic scheme is presented to help recall the equations in classical thermodynamics that connect the four state variables (temperature, pressure, volume, and entropy) to the four thermodynamic potentials (internal energy, Helmholtz free energy, enthalpy, and Gibbs free energy). Max Born created a square to help recall the thermodynamic equations. The new scheme here separates the Max Born square into two squares, resulting in easier recalling of several sets of equations, including the Maxwell equations, without complicated rules to remember the positive or negative signs.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
H.B. Callen, Thermodynamics (Wiley, New York, 1960), p. 117.
D.E. Christie, Am. J. Phys. 25, 486 (1957).
M.V. Zemansky, Heat and Thermodynamics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1968).
Y.V.C. Rao, Postulational and Statistical Thermodynamics (Allied Publishers, Mumbai, India, 1994), p. 107.
F.O. Koenig, J. Chem. Phys. 56, 4556 (1972).
R.F. Fox, J. Chem. Educ. 53, 441 (1976).
M. Isihara, Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn. 59, 2932 (1986).
G. Mitchell, Phys. Educ. 26, 145 (1991).
S.F. Pate, Am. J. Phys. 67, 1111 ( 1999).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhao, J.C. A Mnemonic Scheme for Thermodynamics. MRS Bulletin 34, 92–94 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs2009.26
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs2009.26