Thank You.Simon Bridge said:Technically that should be ##\vec F = -\vec\nabla U##
The potential function was introduced, in relation to force, by Lagrange, in his study of gravitational attraction but did not get popular until it was used by Coulomb for studying electrostatics and emerged as a physical thingy with the discovery of the conservation of energy.
The law "Wc = - delta U" is known as the first law of thermodynamics and is credited to German physicist and chemist, Julius Robert von Mayer. However, it was independently discovered by physicist James Prescott Joule and chemist Hermann von Helmholtz, who also deserve credit for its formulation.
The notation "Wc = - delta U" represents the mathematical relationship between work (Wc) and change in internal energy (delta U) in a closed system, as described by the first law of thermodynamics. It states that the work done on a system is equal to the negative change in internal energy of the system.
The law "Wc = - delta U" was discovered through a series of experiments and observations by Julius Robert von Mayer, James Prescott Joule, and Hermann von Helmholtz. They observed the relationship between heat, energy, and work in various systems and came to the conclusion that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or converted.
The law "Wc = - delta U" is significant because it is one of the fundamental laws of thermodynamics and is the basis for many other laws and principles in physics and chemistry. It also has practical applications, such as in the design and operation of engines and power plants.
While the law "Wc = - delta U" holds true for most closed systems, it does have some limitations. For example, it does not account for energy lost due to friction or other inefficiencies in a system. It also does not apply to open systems, which exchange matter and energy with their surroundings.