THE GEOMETRY OF THERMODYNAMIC POTENTIALS

In this paper, the performance of a diagrammatic method based on geome tric and algebraic considerations is illustrated. This method, based o n the particular symmetry of a thermodynamic diagram, allows to obtain the most important thermodynamic expressions of a simple system. In f act, these thermodynamic expressions can be developed with the applica tion of various geometric patterns to the proposed diagram. The partic ular symmetry of the thermodynamic diagram allows to develop a matrix formulation of the different geometric patterns. This matrix formalism requires that the thermodynamic parameters of the diagram be recast i n a vectorial form.