Four Laws That Drive the Universe

The laws of thermodynamics drive everything that happens in the universe. From the sudden expansion of a cloud of gas to the cooling of hot metal, and from the unfurling of a leaf to the course of life itself - everything is directed and constrained by four simple laws. They establish fundamental concepts such as temperature and heat, and reveal the arrow of time and even the nature of energy itself. Peter Atkins' powerful and compelling introduction explains what the laws are and how they work, using accessible language and virtually no mathematics. Guiding the reader from the Zeroth Law to the Third Law, he introduces the fascinating concept of entropy, and how it not only explains why your desk tends to get messier, but also how its unstoppable rise constitutes the engine of the universe.

ISBN 0199232369   Pages 144 ISBN13 9780199232369 (What's this?)   Volumes 1 Publisher Oxford University Press   Weight (grammes) 254 Imprint Oxford University Press   Published in Oxford Format Hardback   Height (mm) 204 Publication date 06 Sep 2007   Width (mm) 138 Library of Congress 2007020917   Spine width (mm) 17 DEWEY 536.71   Academic level Undergraduate, Postgraduate DEWEY edition DC22

1		The Zeroth law : the concept of temperature		1
2		The first law : the conservation of energy		21
3		The second law : the increase in entropy		47
4		Free energy : the availability of work		79
5		The third law : the unattainability of zero		101

His engaging account...the lucid figures offer readers a firm understanding of energy and entropy. Science Concise, well-written, engaging and carefully structured... an enjoyable and informative read. Chemistry World Peter Atkins's account of the core concepts of thermodynamics is beautifully crafted. Simon Mitton, THES A brief and invigoratingly limpid guide to the laws of thermodynamics. Saturday Guardian Atkins's systematic foundations should go a long way towards easing confusion about the subject...an engaging book, just the right length (and depth) for an absorbing, informative read. Mark Haw, Nature [Atkins'] ultra-compact guide to thermodynamics [is] a wonderful book that I wish I had read at university. New Scientist

This a very well written book for both academic/university students or just readers of populur science. It has both the easy to read 'english' so not to put off any non-scientist but also offers a better insight into physics than most text books. Even being a physics graduate myself and having prior experience of the four laws, I did find myself taking a deeper insight into Thermodynamics as a subject. - Steven Barrett



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