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Article: The many and the few: in a parade of machines, a young engineer saw the principle that everything flows one way, from high to low.
- Article from:
- Mechanical Engineering-CIME
- Article date:
- July 1, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 American Society of Mechanical Engineers. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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ME101 is the number of the thermodynamics course in mechanical engineering at Duke University. I cannot think era better course for "ME101." It was put on the books by the old professors, the ones who had the vision to build Duke many decades ago. Today, I am sure, thermodynamics would get a less memorable course number.
Times change. Generations replace generations, but the principles remain. Contrivances, gadgets, and fads are the opposite. They parade in front of our eyes, but their impact on the "thin book" of fundamentals is nil.
I was reminded of this recently. I had just finished teaching thermodynamics for the semester when I visited two ...