Single Idea 20972

[catalogued under 27. Natural Reality / A. Classical Physics / 2. Thermodynamics / b. Heat]

Full Idea

James Joule established the equivalence of heat and mechanical energy, in the sense of showing that a specific amount of heat will always be produced by the expenditure of a given amount of energy, and vice versa.

Gist of Idea

Joule showed that energy converts to heat, and heat to energy

Source

report of James Joule (works [1870]) by David Papineau - Thinking about Consciousness App 4.2

Book Reference

Papineau,David: 'Thinking about Consciousness' [OUP 2004], p.245


A Reaction

This was a major step towards the law of conservation of energy.