by Arieh Ben-Naim (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel)

Table of Contents (119k)
Preface (79k)
Chapter 1: Introduction, and a Short History of the Second Law of Thermodynamics (142k)

In this unique book, the reader is invited to experience the joy of appreciating something which has eluded understanding for many years — entropy and the second law of thermodynamics. The book has a two-pronged message: first, that the second law is not infinitely incomprehensible as commonly stated in most textbooks on thermodynamics, but can, in fact, be comprehended through sheer common sense; and second, that entropy is not a mysterious quantity that has resisted understanding but a simple, familiar and easily comprehensible concept.

Written in an accessible style, the book guides the reader through an abundance of dice games and examples from everyday life. The author paves the way for readers to discover for themselves what entropy is, how it changes, and, most importantly, why it always changes in one direction in a spontaneous process.

In this new edition, seven simulated games are included so that the reader can actually experiment with the games described in the book. These simulated games are meant to enhance the readers' understanding and sense of joy upon discovering the second law of thermodynamics.

• Programs for Simulating Some of the Games in the Book
• Introduction, and a Short History of the Second Law of Thermodynamics
• A Brief Introduction to Probability Theory, Information Theory, and All the Rest
• First Let Us Play with Real Dice
• Let's Play with Simplified Dice and Have a Preliminary Grasp of the Second Law
• Experience the Second Law with All Your Five Senses
• Finally, Grasp It with Your Common Sense
• Translating from the Dice-World to the Real World
• Reflections on the Status of the Second Law of Thermodynamics as a Law of Physics