Between thermal matter and kinetic gas theory: Hermann Helmholtz's handling of the physics of heat (Q1279506)

The paper gives a precise summary of Helmholtz's publications on the theory of heat between 1845 and 1863. It is shown that, in spite of his important contribution to the discovery of the principle of conservation of energy (aber die Erhaltung der Kraft, 1847), Helmholtz did not participate in the debates about the nature of heat that preceded the formulation of the second principle of thermodynamics. His main publications on this topic were reviews of papers by other scientists and public speeches. In one of these speeches, given in 1854, Helmholtz created the myth of the so-called heat death of the universe and presented an original theory of the origin of solar energy. The author explains Helmholtz's reserve in the debate about heat by the fact that in those years Helmholtz was still a physiologist, who had good reasons not to intervene in a discussion within the community of university physicists who would consider him an outsider.