Sadi Carnot: His Life and Achievements. Against the Historical Period

TCE

The Chemical Educator

ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)

Table of Contents

Abstract Volume 5 Issue 1 (2000) pp 38-42

Sadi Carnot: His Life and Achievements. Against the Historical Period— a Short Bibliographical Sketch

Jaime Wisniak

Department of Chemical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel 84105

Published online: 1 February 2000

Abstract. The life and work of Sadi Carnot are presented against the historical and political background existing in Europe before and after his birth. His achievements are analyzed and shown to reflect the influence that his family and education had on his development as a scientist, engineer, and military officer. In spite of his short life, the scientific consequences of his work have set the foundations of thermodynamics as we know it today.

Key Words: Chemistry and History; Lazare Carnot; steam engine; heat pump; Second Law of Thermodynamics

(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: wisniak@bgumail.bgu.ac.il)

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