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Conservation and Innovation : Helmholtz's Struggle with Energy ...

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published approach for "energy" conservation is shown by the fact that<br />

Clapeyron's numerical work-equivalent, if reinterpreted in the new energy model,<br />

is not far from later accepted values 503. Thus the notebook is relevant as an<br />

indication of Carnot's shift from one model to another, but not of his acceptance<br />

of the conservation principle.<br />

In my view history would be better clarified if the grouping were done<br />

differently from how Kuhn did it, that is not <strong>with</strong> the aim of asserting strict<br />

similarities between the members of a group, but <strong>with</strong> the aim of a more<br />

consistent comparison of their assertions on specific points. I can suggest for<br />

instance to compare the works of the "pioneers" on the basis of:<br />

a) the kind of general principle adopted: a correlation 504 of forces, that is,<br />

a conversion <strong>with</strong> constant coefficients 505; a conservation at positions (vis viva<br />

principle) 506; a conservation of an underlying unity during a process 507.<br />

503 Clapeyron's coefficient of 1.41Kgm ( work obtained in the passage of a calory<br />

from 1°C to 0°Celsius) is consistent <strong>with</strong> later results: if we want to shift to the other<br />

interpretation of energy (heat equals work) we have only to multiply it by 273.16 (absolute<br />

temperature of melting ice). We get 385.15 Kgm, a value not too different from Joule's. See:<br />

Planck Princip . Pp.13-4 <strong>and</strong> 188-9.<br />

504 Kuhn recognizes that a distinction has to be made between correlation <strong>and</strong><br />

conservation: Kuhn Sim Disc p.79 <strong>and</strong> 82.<br />

505 As in Roget, Séguin, Liebig, Colding, Mayer, Hirn, Grove, Faraday, Joule; on<br />

Liebig see: Kremer, Richard. "The Thermodynamics of Life <strong>and</strong> Experimental Physiology,<br />

1770-1880." Dissertation. Harvard University, 1984. Dissertation Abstracts International, 45<br />

(1985), 3731A. Pp.193-215; on Colding see: Dahl, Per. "Ludwig A. Colding <strong>and</strong> the<br />

<strong>Conservation</strong> of <strong>Energy</strong>." In Centaurus 8 (1963): 174-88; on Mayer see: Lindsay, Robert<br />

Bruce. Julius Robert Mayer, Prophet of <strong>Energy</strong>. Oxford <strong>and</strong> New York: Pergamon<br />

Press,1973; Heimann, Peter. "Mayer's Concept of 'Force': the 'Axis' of a New Science of<br />

Physics." In HSPS 7 (1976) : 227-96; on the analogies between heat model in Mayer <strong>and</strong> Hirn<br />

see: Planck Princip . Pp.75-6; on Grove see: Cantor, Geoffrey. "William Robert Grove, the<br />

Correlation of Forces <strong>and</strong> the <strong>Conservation</strong> of <strong>Energy</strong>." In Centaurus 19 (1976): 273-90; on<br />

Faraday see: Gooding, David. "Metaphysics versus Measurement: the Conversion <strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>Conservation</strong> of Force in Faraday's Physics." In Annals of Science 37 (1980): 1-29. For<br />

remarks on Kuhn <strong>and</strong> Heimann see n7 <strong>and</strong> 8 Pp.2-3, n15 P.4; for Grove, Faraday <strong>and</strong> Joule<br />

see: Heimann "Conversion" pp.148-9; for the differences between the last two, see: Cantor<br />

"Faraday <strong>and</strong> Joule on <strong>Energy</strong> <strong>Conservation</strong>". Paper presented at the Joule' s Centenary<br />

meeting, Manchester 1989. Forthcoming.

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