Classical thermodynamics is combined with elementary electro-magnetic theory to analyse black-body radiant energy. This leads quickly to the Stefan—Boltzmann fourth-power radiation law and then to Wien's laws, including the ‘foundryman's law’. The student is warned, however, about certain fallacies arising from misapplying equilibrium theory to non-equilibrium situations and invited to consider some of the cosmological implications following from this re-enactment of the initiation of modern quantum theory. Points for examples or examination questions are indicated.
BejanA., Advanced Engineering Thermodynamics (Wiley, New York, 1988).
2.
KondepudiD. and PrigogineI., Modern Thermodynamics: From Heat Engines to Dissipative Structures (Wiley, New York, 1998) (but see 2nd edn, when available, for corrections).
3.
AdkinsC. J., Equilibrium Thermodynamics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1968).
4.
KestinJ. and DorfmanJ. R., A Course in Statistical Thermodynamics (Academic Press, New York, 1971).
5.
GribbenJ., In Search of Schrödinger's Cat; Quantum Physics and Reality (Wildwood House, London, 1984).
6.
Gal-OvB., ed., Modern Developments in Thermodynamics (Wiley, New York, 1974) especially GoldT., ‘The world map and the apparent flow of time’, and NarlikarJ. V., ‘Thermodynamics and cosmology’.
7.
MorseP. M., Thermal Physics, 2nd edn (Benjamin/Cummings, London, 1969).
8.
PlanckM., Theory of Radiation (Verlag, Leipzig, 1913).
9.
PippardA. B., Elements of Classical Thermodynamics (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1966).
10.
KuhnT. S., Black Body Theory and the Quantum Discontinuity: 1894–1912 (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1978).
