Grappling with the first and second laws of thermodynamics can test the intellectual mettle of even the most dedicated student of the physical sciences. Approaching the subject for the first time may raise more queries and doubts than are usually handled in the basic, straightforward textbook.
Based on a series of lectures delivered to 500 sophomore engineering students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Dr. Van Neer's clear, lucid treatment is readily comprehensible by undergraduate-level science and engineering students. His language is informal, his examples are vivid and lively,...