Rational thermodynamics is a school of thought in

statistical thermodynamics In physics, statistical mechanics is a mathematical framework that applies statistical methods and probability theory to large assemblies of microscopic entities. It does not assume or postulate any natural laws, but explains the macroscopic be ...

developed in the 1960s. Its introduction is attributed to

Clifford Truesdell Clifford Ambrose Truesdell III (February 18, 1919 – January 14, 2000) was an American mathematician, natural philosopher, and historian of science. Life Truesdell was born in Los Angeles, California. After high school, he spent two years in E ...

(1919–2000), Bernard Coleman (b. 1929) and

Walter Noll Walter Noll (January 7, 1925 June 6, 2017) was a mathematician, and Professor Emeritus at Carnegie Mellon University. He is best known for developing mathematical tools of classical mechanics, thermodynamics, and continuum mechanics. Biography B ...

(1925–2017). The aim was to develop a mathematical model of thermodynamics that would go beyond the traditional "thermodynamics of irreversible processes" or TIP developed in the late 19th to early 20th centuries. Truesdell's "flamboyant style" and "satirical verve" caused controversy between "rational thermodynamics" and proponents of traditional thermodynamics.Müller, Ingo (2007). ''A History of Thermodynamics: the Doctrine of Energy and Entropy''. Springer. "Truesdell’s outspoken partisanship of rational thermodynamics and his flamboyant style fuelled some lively controversies between adherents of TIP and the protagonists of rational thermodynamics, chiefly Truesdell himself. His attacks on Onsagerism were advanced with much satirical verve, that makes them fun to read for those who were not targeted. However, the defenders of TIP tried their best to pay Truesdell back in his own coin. Woods pointed out some awkward features of rational thermodynamics in a paper entitled 'The bogus axioms of continuum mechanics'."

References

{{reflist *Clifford A. Truesdell, ''Rational Thermodynamics: A Course of Lectures on Selected Topics'', Springer, (1969, 2nd ed. 1984). *Ingo Müller, Tommaso Ruggeri, ''Extended Rational Thermodynamics'', Springer (1998), doi:10.1007/978-1-4612-2210-1.

References

See also