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... according to Michael Flanders and Donald Swann. This never fails to make me laugh.
"Snow says that nobody can consider themselves educated who doesn't know at least the basic language of Science. I mean, things like Sir Edward Boyle's Law, for example: the greater the external pressure, the greater the volume of hot air. Or the Second Law of Thermodynamics - this is very important. I was somewhat shocked the other day to discover that my partner not only doesn't know the Second Law, he doesn't even know the First Law of Thermodynamics.
Going back to first principles, very briefly, thermodynamics is of course derived from two Greek words: thermos, meaning hot, if you don't drop it, and dinamiks, meaning dynamic, work; and thermodynamics is simply the science of heat and work and the relationships between the two, as laid down in the Laws of Thermodynamics, which may be expressed in the following simple terms...
After me...
The First Law of Thermodymamics:
Heat is work and work is heat
Heat is work and work is heat
Very good!
The Second Law of Thermodymamics:
Heat cannot of itself pass from one body to a hotter body
(scat music starts)
Heat cannot of itself pass from one body to a hotter body
Heat won't pass from a cooler to a hotter
Heat won't pass from a cooler to a hotter
You can try it if you like but you far better notter
You can try it if you like but you far better notter
'Cos the cold in the cooler with get hotter as a ruler
'Cos the cold in the cooler with get hotter as a ruler
'Cos the hotter body's heat will pass to the cooler
'Cos the hotter body's heat will pass to the cooler
First Law:
Heat is work and work is heat and work is heat and heat is work
Heat will pass by conduction
Heat will pass by conduction
Heat will pass by convection
Heat will pass by convection
Heat will pass by radiation
Heat will pass by radiation
And that's a physical law
Heat is work and work's a curse
And all the heat in the Universe
Is gonna cooool down 'cos it can't increase
Then there'll be no more work and there'll be perfect peace
Really?
Yeah - that's entropy, man!
And all because of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which lays down:
That you can't pass heat from the cooler to the hotter
Try it if you like but you far better notter
'Cos the cold in the cooler will get hotter as a ruler
'Cos the hotter body's heat will pass to the cooler
Oh, you can't pass heat from the cooler to the hotter
You can try it if you like but you'll only look a fooler
'Cos the cold in the cooler will get hotter as a ruler
That's a physical Law!
Oh, I'm hot!
Hot? That's because you've been working!
Oh, Beatles - nothing!
That's the First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics!"
Friday, December 07, 2007
First and Second laws of Thermodynamics...
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3 comments:
You're so young and you like Flanders and Swann? Christ, you're so middle class.
I have a brother-in-law who often quotes Flanders and Swan. Even I have recordings of their shows - 'At the Drop of a Hat' and 'At the Drop of Another Hat' but I refrain from constantly quoting from them, a habit that can become rather irritating for other people. It's good to hear that the famous duo have fans who are a bit younger than me.
Isn't it strange how the lyrics of songs can often seem rather flat without the music. Thanks for memory anyway.
I love Flanders & Swann. My Grandparents recorded 'At the drop of a Hat' and 'At the drop of another Hat' onto tape for me when I was 5 or 6 and I have always loved their lyrics and music.
When on rainy camping holidays we used to have picnics in the car parked on a cliff looking out to sea, singing along to 'The Gas Man Commeth', 'The Gnu Song' and all the rest.
These days, even reading the lyrics or something reminding me of them is enough to lift my mood. I was reminded of the the thermodynamics song when I read the word 'entropy' on someone else's blog.
And, if it makes me middle class, so what? I am middle class.
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