Talk:Thermodynamics

Requesting reviews

I think this article was originally a port from WP, but not sure. In any event, I just made a number of changes such as re-ordering the sections and formatting changes without making any changes in content.

I would like to ask that Paul Wormer, Daniel Mietchen, David Volk and any others with thermodynamics expertise review this article and make whatever revisions are needed to start it down the road for approval. Please! Milton Beychok 17:54, 10 October 2009 (UTC)

Two further points: (a) Does this article need a section on non-equilibrium thermodynamics? (b) Thermodynamics has links to Laws of thermodynamics ... but when I go to Laws of Thermodynamics, I find it to be an almost useless stub of an article. Is the much better "Laws of thermodynamics" section of Thermodynamics inclusive enough for me to ask for speedy deletion of the useless Laws of thermodynamics stub? Milton Beychok 19:32, 10 October 2009 (UTC)

Didn't have a closer look yet but in general, if there is sufficient material (as in this case), I would think it is better to have a separate article rather than a section in another one with a broader scope. This would also facilitate interlinking of the concepts, as well as approval of the individual articles. --Daniel Mietchen 23:45, 10 October 2009 (UTC)

You've convinced me. I have gone ahead and merged parts of this article into Laws of Thermodynamics to upgrade it somewhat as a separate article. It still could use a good bit more work. Milton Beychok 05:50, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

Milt, I'll take a look and give it some thought per your request. Karl D. Schubert 18:31, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

Suggestions after a first read

Having had a closer look now, I think the article first needs some restructuring before we can dive into details of content matters. Here are my initial suggestions:

1. Change Thermodynamic processes/ Thermodynamic potentials/ Thermodynamic systems/ Thermodynamic parameters/ Thermodynamic states from second- to third-level headings under a new second-level heading of "Key concepts" or so.
2. Move "History" section up, perhaps best right after "Overview".
3. Change Classical thermodynamics/ Statistical thermodynamics/ Chemical thermodynamics from second- to third-level headings under a new second-level heading of "Subfields" or so; add Biological thermodynamics.
4. This article needs illustrations, particularly for the key concepts.

I have a number of further observations (e.g. neither industrial applications nor key concepts like diffusion or Maxwell's demon are mentioned in the current draft) but whether and how they fit in depends on whether and how the restructuring proposed above will be implemented. --Daniel Mietchen 20:39, 25 October 2009 (UTC)

See: James Clerk Maxwell#Maxwell's demon --Paul Wormer 08:43, 29 October 2009 (UTC)