What were the theories that led to the laws of thermodynamics?

History of thermodynamics. Around 1850, Rudolf Clausius and William Thomson stated both the First Law - that total energy is conserved - and the Second Law of Thermodynamics. The Second Law was originally formulated in terms of the fact that heat does not spontaneously flow from a colder body to a hotter.

molecules are free to separate from each other and will take on the shape of the container. molecules move completely at random and high speeds. they vibrate in a fixed position and do not move around much. molecules expand to the edge of their container.