It is well known that
thermodynamics raises conceptual difficulties. Far to be limited to students having
to learn the subject, this impression is sometimes mentioned by specialists themselves
who confess not being totally sure of the consistency of the thermodynamic theory,
despite the fact that its practical usefulness is indisputable. The present paper
deals with this interesting question and leads to the idea that there is an imperfect
convergence between the way of using the thermodynamic tool and the way of understanding
its significance. Illustrated by a very simple example, the discussion can be
followed by every scientist having the fundamental basis in thermodynamics. The
suggested hypothesis is that the Einstein mass-energy relation is closely associated
to the concept of entropy, opening a link between thermodynamics and relativity.
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