http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/ 2020-01-26T23:00:43-08:00 http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/ http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/lib/images/favicon.ico text/html 2012-07-08T14:48:13-08:00 http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/whitepapers:representations:thermo:start?rev=1341784093 Representations of partial derivatives in thermodynamics John R. Thompson (University of Maine), David Roundy (Oregon State University), Donald B. Mountcastle (University of Maine) Submitted Abstract One of the mathematical objects that students become familiar with in thermodynamics, often for the first time, is the partial derivative of a multivariable function. The symbolic representation of a partial derivative and related quantities present difficulties for students in both mathematic…