108 The Principles of Thermodynamics
non-magnetic specific heat so that they are in conformity with the third law. Then
one sees that in general cooling rates vanish much faster than specific heats.
5.4 Specific heats and microscopics
We have taken great care not to emphasize the atomistic aspects, with the desire to
showcase the powers and the immense scope of thermodynamics, and certainly not to
downplay the importance of the atomistic picture. On the other hand, it is clear that a
certain minimal atomic perspective should not be totally avoided, making everything
look too empirical. The behaviour of specific heats is a case in point.
At the level of thermodynamics, it suffices, for example, to know the empirically
determined C
V
; the laws of thermodynami ...