Science of Heat and Thermophysical Studies

Book excerpt: Science of Heat and Thermophysical Studies provides a non-traditional bridging of historical, philosophical, societal and scientific aspects of heat with a comprehensive approach to the field of generalized thermodynamics. It involves Greek philosophical views and their impact on the development of contemporary ideas. Covered topics include: • the concept of heat • thermometry and calorimetry • early concepts of temperature and its gradients • non-equilibrium and quantum thermodynamics • chemical kinetics • entropy, order and information • thermal science applied to economy(econophysics), ecosystems, and process dynamics or mesoscopic scales (quantum diffusion) • importance of energy science and its influence to societal life