Mathematician:Nicolas Léonard Sadi Carnot

Mathematician

French military scientist and physicist, often described as the "father of thermodynamics".

Published the first successful theory of the maximum efficiency of heat engines.

Died young, in a cholera epidemic, and most of his possessions were buried with him.

Hence little remains of his intellectual legacy.

Nationality

French

History

• Born: 1 June 1796 in Paris, France
• Died: 24 August 1832 in Paris, France

Theorems and Definitions

• Carnot Cycle
• Carnot's Theorem

Results named for Nicolas Léonard Sadi Carnot can be found here.

Publications

• 1824: Réflexions sur la puissance motrice du feu

Republished as:

• 1872: Réflexions sur la puissance motrice du feu et sur les machines propres à développer cette puissance ("Reflections on the Motive Power of Fire and on Machines Capable of Developing this Power") (Ann. Sci. École Norm. Sup. Vol. 1: pp. 393 – 457)
• 1890: Reflections on the Motive Power of Fire (translation of Réflexions sur la puissance motrice du feu et sur les machines propres à développer cette puissance)

Also known as

Usually known by his third name: Sadi Carnot.

Sources

• John J. O'Connor and Edmund F. Robertson: "Nicolas Léonard Sadi Carnot": MacTutor History of Mathematics archive

• 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Carnot, Nicolas Léonard Sadi (1796-1832)
• 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Carnot, Nicolas Léonard Sadi (1796-1832)