On the Propagation of Motion in Bodies and in Perfect Gases in Particular — I

Abstract

The questions dealt with in this paper cover analysis as well as pure physics. The motions of natural bodies are governed by partial differential equations, the theory of which remains obscure even today. All progress made in the study of these types of motion provides new information on the nature of the equations, and on the relations that exist between the various integrals in particular.

¹ This paper is substantially the same as that delivered to the Academy of Sciences by Mr. Hugoniot and filed with the Institute’s Secretariat on 26 October 1885.

The author was unable, on account of his untimely death, to make the modifications and additions to his preliminary draft which he apparently intended to make; however, as it is, this paper will still suffice to show the reader Mr. Hugoniot’s great talent and the great loss that science has suffered with his death.

With the intention of respecting the author’s reasoning, we have in no way modified his paper; we restricted ourselves to dividing it into two parts for the purposes of printing: the second part will be incorporated in a future edition.

The reader will find that some of the results given in this part are not new; this is not a sign of poor erudition, merely the author’s constant concern to include in his papers all the information needed to understand them in their entirety. (Ed.)