Planck Max. The Theory Of Heat Radiation

Translation by Morton Masius. Adapted version of Gutenberg Ebook, 2012, extended bookmarks, enlarged pages. XII + 266 p.
First published Philadelphia: P. Blakiston's Son & Co., 1914.
From the Translator's preface:
The present volume is a translation of the second edition of Professor Planck's Waermestrahlung (1913).The profoundly original ideas introduced by Planck in the endeavor to reconcile the electromagnetic theory of radiation with experimental facts have proven to be of the greatest importance in many parts of physics. Probably no single book since the appearance of Clerk Maxwell's Electricity And Magnetism has had a deeper influence on the development of physical theories. The great majority of English-speaking physicists are, of course, able to read the work in the language in which it was written, but I believe that many will welcome the opportunity offered by a translation to study the ideas set forth by Planck without the difficulties that frequently arise in attempting to follow a new and somewhat difficult line of reasoning in a foreign language.Recent developments of physical theories have placed the quantum of action in the foreground of interest. Questions regarding the bearing of the quantum theory on the law of equipartition of energy, its application to the theory of specific heats and to photoelectric effects, attempts to form some concrete idea of the physical significance of the quantum, that is, to devise a "model" for it, have created within the last few years a large and ever increasing literature. Professor Planck has, however, in this book confined himself exclusively to radiation phenomena and it has seemed to me probable that a brief resume of this literature might prove useful to the reader who wishes to pursue the subject further. I have, therefore, with Professor Planck's permission, given in an appendix a list of the most important papers on the subjects treated of in this book and others closely related to them. I have also added a short note on one or two derivations of formulæ where the treatment in the book seemed too brief or to present some difficulties.
From AbeBooks:
Nobel laureate's classic exposition of the theory of radiant heat in terms of the principle of quantum action. Topics include Kirchoff's law, black radiation, Maxwell's radiation pressure, entropy, and much more. Few modern introductions to the theory of heat radiation can match this book for precision, care, and attention to details of proof. 1914 edition. Bibliography.
From Dover Publications:
The profoundly original ideas introduced by Nobel laureate Max Planck in this endeavor to reconcile the electromagnetic theory of radiation with experimental facts have proved to be of the greatest importance. Few modern introductions to the theory of heat radiation can match this work for precision, care, and attention to details of proof.
Although Planck originally intended the book to be simply the connected account of ten years of study, he soon expanded it to a treatise which could serve as an introduction to the study of the entire theory of radiant heat in terms of the recently discovered principle of quantum action. He states his point of view in the introduction: "The hypothesis of quanta … may be reduced to the simple proposition that the thermodynamic probability of a physical state is a definite integral number, or, what amounts to the same thing, that the entropy of a state has quite a definite positive value, which, as a minimum, becomes zero, while in contrast therewith, the energy may, according to the classical thermodynamics, decrease without limit to minus infinity." Although several other points of fundamental value in thermodynamics are included, the book is basically a rigorous elaboration of this fundamental idea.
The treatment starts from the simple known experimental laws of optics and advances, by gradual extension and the addition of the results of electrodynamics and thermodynamics, to the problems of spectral distribution of energy and of reversibility.Fundamental Facts And Definitions
General Introduction
Radiation at Thermodynamic Equilibrium. Kirchhoff ’s Law. Black Radiation
Deductions From Electrodynamics And Thermodynamics
Maxwell’s Radiation Pressure
Stefan-Boltzmann Law of Radiation
Wien’s Displacement Law
Radiation of Any Arbitrary Spectral Distribution of Energy. Entropy and Temperature of Monochromatic Radiation
Electrodynamical Processes in a Stationary Field of Radiation
Entropy And Probability
Fundamental Definitions and Laws. Hypothesis of Quanta
Ideal Monatomic Gases
Ideal Linear Oscillators
Direct Calculation of the Entropy in The Case of Thermodynamic Equilibrium
A System Of Oscillators In A Stationary Field Of Radiation
The Elementary Dynamical Law for The Vibrations of an Ideal Oscillator. Hypothesis of Emission of Quanta
Absorbed Energy
Emitted Energy. Stationary State
The Law of the Normal Distribution Of Energy. Elementary Quanta Of Matter and Electricity
Irreversible Radiation Processes
Fields of Radiation in General
One Oscillator in the Field of Radiation
A System of Oscillators
Conservation of Energy and Increase Of Entropy. Conclusion
List of Papers on Heat Radiation and the Hypothesis of Quanta by the Author
Appendices