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Quote by William John Macquorn Rankine

“It is possible to express the laws of thermodynamics in the form of independent principles , deduced by induction from the facts of observation and experiment, without reference to any hypothesis as to the occult molecular operations with which the sensible phenomena may be conceived to be connected; and that course will be followed in the body of the present treatise. But, in giving a brief historical sketch of the progress of thermodynamics, the progress of the hypothesis of thermic molecular motions cannot be wholly separated from that of the purely inductive theory.”

Quote by William John Macquorn Rankine

Work

A Manual of the Steam Engine and Other Prime Movers by William John Macquorn Rankine

This book delves into the technical aspects of steam engines, providing an in-depth exploration of their design, operation, and applications. It covers a range of prime movers, including steam engines, and is considered a foundational text in the field of mechanical engineering. more

Author

William John Macquorn Rankine
William John Macquorn Rankine

William John Macquorn Rankine was a Scottish civil engineer known for his contributions to thermodynamics and steam engine design. He was born on July 5, 1820, and died on December 24, 1872. more

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“The laws of thermodynamics may be regarded as particular cases of more general laws, applicable to all such states of matter as constitute Energy , or the capacity to perform work, which more general laws form the basis of the science of energetics, a science comprehending, as special branches, the theories of motion, heat, light , electricity , and all other physical phenomena.”

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