Sadi Carnot's Work on the Efficiency of Steam Engines

This chapter explores Sadee Carnot's sole publication on the motive power of heat, focusing on the efficiency of steam engines by analyzing the transfer of energy through different temperature differentials. It delves into the background of Carnot's book, its initial reception, and how his ideas were further developed by subsequent scientists like Èmile Clapeyron and William Thompson. The chapter also discusses misunderstandings surrounding Carnot's work and the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, emphasizing the importance of heat engines and the relationship between heat and motion.