In favour of the time variable in classical thermoDYNAMICS

TL;DR

This paper advocates for including an explicit time variable in classical thermodynamics, demonstrating its benefits through an exercise aligned with experimental results and discussing terminology improvements.

Contribution

It introduces the explicit use of the time variable in classical thermodynamics and argues for its pedagogical and conceptual advantages.

Findings

Exercise solution aligns with experimental observations

Explicit time treatment clarifies thermodynamic phenomena

Supports terminology revisions in classical thermodynamics

Abstract

A case for the teaching of classical thermodynamics with an explicit time variable, with phenomena involving changes in time, is made by presenting and solving a exercise in textbook style, and pointing out that a solution accords with experiment. The exercise requires an explicit treatment of the time variable. Further arguments are given for the advantages of an explicit time variable in classical thermodynamics, and against some standard terminology in this theory.