Re: Thermo of Springs/Sidebar

[Jim Green <JMGreen@SISNA.COM>]

At 07:57 AM 25-11-99 -0500, you wrote:
> Thermodynamics of energy storing objects (such springs,
> chemical compounds or sources of emf) is a much more
> advanced topic than a typical chapter on elasticity. We do
> not speak about the equation of state of steel while describing
> its behavior in terms of elastic moduli. A spring is ideal, its
> temperature does not change no matter how much we stretch
> or compress it.

Well, an ideal spring is ideal; the temperature of a real spring does
change upon flexing.

But my question is whether there is _any_ example of a macroscopic
reversible process other than the ideal piston in a cylinder.

Isn't it odd that the entire basis for classical thermodynamics (or,
better, thermostatics) is that cylinder.

What have I missed?

Just me over here in my little corner as I wonder out loud.

Jim Green
mailto:JMGreen@sisna.com
http://users.sisna.com/jmgreen