4.2: Introduction

While the subject of thermal conduction is an important one, and obviously a proper topic in the theory of heat, it is not really part of the great logical structure of thermodynamics, not does it require a wide or deep knowledge of thermodynamics to understand it, at least at an introductory level. In other words, this chapter is more or less a stand-alone chapter. It is not necessary to understand earlier chapters to understand this one; nor, if your primary interest is in thermodynamics, is it necessary to understand this chapter before proceeding to later ones. That is – if you wish − you can skip this chapter without compromising your understanding of any later ones