Thermodynamics is a branch of physics which deals with the energy and work of a system. It was born in the 19th century as scientists were first discovering how to build and operate steam engines. The term thermodynamics was first used by James Joule to express the relationship between heat and power.
The history of thermodynamics begins with a German scientist who designed and built the first vacuum pump. Shortly after that development, Robert Boyle built an air pump. Using this pump, Boyle noticed the pressure-temperature-volume proportionality. With this new development Boyle's Law was formulated, which states that pressure and volume are inversely proportional.
The little developments in pumps and piston engines lead to the invention of an engine. The first engine was invented by Thomas Savery. Although these early engines were crude and inefficient, they attracted the attention of the leading scientists of the time. One such scientist was Sadi Carnot, the "father of thermodynamics” (Carnot Engine). He marks the beginning of thermodynamics as a branch of science. He created the Carnot Cycle and designed an ideal engine called the Carnot engine. This engine has the highest achievable efficiency an engine can have. Sadi Carnot, in 1824, published “Reflections on the Motive Power of Fire”, a research paper on heat, power, and engine efficiency. The paper outlined the basic relations between the Carnot engine, the Carnot cycle, and locomotive power (“Thermodynamics”). The Heat Engine and the Carnot inventions are discussed further on.
This is a typical engine or thermodynamic system. Heat moves from hot boiler to cold condenser and work is extracted.
