Alexis Thérèse Petit

Alexis Thérèse Petit (October 2, 1791 - June 21, 1820) was a French physicist. Petit is known for is work on the efficiencies of air- and steam-engines, published in 1818. His well-known discussions with the French physicist Sadi Carnot, founder of thermodynamics, may have stimulated Carnot in the development theories of thermodynamic efficiency in heat engines.

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Petit was born in Vesoul, France. He is best known for the Dulong-Petit law for the specific heat capacity of metals, which he co-discovered with Pierre Louis Dulong in 1819.

Petit died in Paris, France.