Chapter 22 The Presentation

As he spoke, he noticed Lavoisier leaning forward, his eyes fixed on him. Napoleon felt a thrill of satisfaction. This was the moment he had been waiting for. He continued speaking, outlining their research, making compelling and thought-provoking arguments, and presenting his findings eloquently and fluidly. The audience listened intently, nodding in agreement while the others were impressed at his skills.

In this thesis, he proved that heat is a form of energy, not a substance, and stated the two laws of thermodynamics that are known in the modern world. The first one is the law of conservation of energy, which states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another. The second law states that in any energy transfer or transformation, the amount of useful energy decreases, and the amount of entropy, or disorder, increases. And finally, debunking Caloric Theory.

After presenting his thesis, Napoleon scanned the room, looking for any signs of disapproval or disagreement. But to his relief, he saw that everyone was nodding in agreement and seemed to be genuinely impressed by his research. Even Lavoisier, who he knew was a tough critic, was looking at him with a small smile on his face. But it was all for a show when he decided to ask a question.

"Mr. Buonaparte, I'm intrigued by your presentation. The way you delivered it was quite impressive. However, I have five questions. If you answer them, then I would willingly throw out my theory for you."

"I accept the challenge, Mr. Lavoisier," Napoleon said.

"Very well, I'll lay it all out now. How can heat be a form of energy rather than a substance when it behaves similarly to a substance in terms of its physical properties? If heat is not a substance, then what exactly is being transferred between two bodies during a heat transfer process? How can your theory explain the phenomenon of latent heat, which was a cornerstone of the Caloric Theory? If heat is just a form of energy, then how do you account for the differences in the heat capacity of different substances? The Caloric Theory was successful in explaining many phenomena related to heat, so why should we abandon it in favor of a new theory that has not been tested as thoroughly?"

"Oh, before I forgot, I invented a device known as a calorimeter, which measures the amount of heat released or absorbed during a chemical reaction," Lavoisier said. "How would you debunk this device, using your theory?"

Napoleon thought for a moment before responding. "The calorimeter measures the amount of heat released or absorbed during a chemical reaction, which is an important measurement for studying chemical reactions. However, it assumes that the heat released or absorbed during a reaction is due to the exchange of a physical substance called 'caloric' rather than the transfer of energy. This assumption is incorrect and not supported by my theory. Instead, the energy released or absorbed during a chemical reaction is due to the change in the internal energy of the substances involved. Therefore, while the calorimeter may accurately measure the heat released or absorbed during a reaction, its underlying assumption is flawed."

Having rebutted again, Antoine couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Napoleon looked at Lavoisier quizzically, wondering what was so funny.

"I apologize, Napoleon," Lavoisier said, still chuckling. "It's just that I find it amusing that a young boy such as yourself has come up with a theory that challenges the ideas of some of the greatest minds in science."

Napoleon smiled. "Well, I believe that science is about constantly questioning and refining our understanding of the world. And who knows, maybe someday someone will come up with a theory that challenges mine."

Lavoisier nodded in agreement. "Indeed, science is a never-ending journey of discovery. And with young minds like yours, the future of science is in good hands. Everyone, give this man a round of applause."

The room erupted into applause as Napoleon grinned, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment.