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“Reflections on the motive power of fire...”

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Entropy and Information

Part of the book series: Progress in Mathematical Physics ((PMP,volume 57))

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Abstract

A little book of only 45 pages, titled “Reflections on the motive power of fire, and on machines capable of developing that power”1, appeared in Paris in 1824. Its author was S. Carnot, according to the title page a former student at the Polytechnic.

Black coal burns in the fire box, Water turns into steam, And the piston moves stubbornly Back and forth, back and forth. The hot steam condenses, Turning the heavy wheels. The engine-driving fire Presents several riddles.

Sadi Carnot. Réflexions sur la puissance motrice du feu. 1824.

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© 2009 Birkhäuser Verlag AG

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Volkenstein, M.V. (2009). “Reflections on the motive power of fire...”. In: Entropy and Information. Progress in Mathematical Physics, vol 57. Birkhäuser Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0346-0078-1_1

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