A Look Back at the Ehrenfest Classification. Translation and Commentary of Ehrenfest's 1933 paper introducing the notion of phase transitions of different order

TL;DR

This paper provides a translation and commentary on Ehrenfest's 1933 work that introduced the classification of phase transitions based on thermodynamic potential singularities, highlighting its historical significance.

Contribution

It offers the first complete translation of Ehrenfest's original paper along with historical context and commentary, clarifying the origins of phase transition classification.

Findings

Introduced classification of phase transitions by order

Linked phase transition types to thermodynamic potential singularities

Historical analysis of Ehrenfest's impact on thermodynamics

Abstract

A translation of Paul Ehrenfest's 1933 paper, entitled "Phase transitions in the usual and generalized sense, classified according to the singularities of the thermodynamic potential" is presented. Some historical commentary about the paper's context is also given.