This paper explores aspects of the history of the formulation and the transmission of the second law of thermodynamics. The investigation thus has a dual purpose, on the one hand to analyze the treatment given by Max Planck to the second law of thermodynamics presented in the book Treatise of Thermodynamics, on the other hand to point out in the text of Planck his views on energetics. In addition, we will sample a few textbooks used in undergraduate courses in physics in order to see how the original versions of statements of the second law of thermodynamics are presented in current textbooks, considering that some of them refer to the Planck law when addressing the second law, but do not point out his contributions.
Max Planck; second law of thermodynamics; history of sciences; energetics