James Joule and Lord Kelvin demonstrate that a rapidly expanding gas cools

Historical Context Note

Litencyc Editors (Independent Scholar - Europe)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.07: English Writing and Culture of the Victorian Period, 1837-1901.
Vol. editors: Gillian Fenwick (University of Toronto), Jessica Gossling (Goldsmiths College, University of London)

Domains

Heat and Thermodynamics

Dates

Date of occurrence 1852

Places

United Kingdom (Location)

Resources

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Much of the early experimental work in thermodynamics was concerned with gases, because chemical equipment could offer new data that could help to identify their properties. James Prescott Joule and William Thomson (later to become 1st Baron Kelvin) set up an experiment which forced gas through a valve, to test the temperature change, and they found that gas cools as it expands. This process, known as 'throttling', has had vital implications for all thermal machines, including fridges and air conditioning.

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80 words

Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "James Joule and Lord Kelvin demonstrate that a rapidly expanding gas cools". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 30 August 2013 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=6309, accessed 20 April 2024.]

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