On the definition of the absolute temperature—a reconciliation of the classical method with that of Carathéodory

Abstract

In this paper a combination is given of the two methods mentioned in the title with the aim of optimising the definition of the absolute temperature with respect to physical transparency and mathematical simplicity. The mathematical tools used are the elements of vector analysis, i.e. “usual” mathematics (“normale” Mathematik) in the sense of Born [1, p. 162, cf. also 22, p. 579].