Ukuze bachaze izinqubo ze-thermodynamic ezingaguquki, ososayensi bakha umthetho wesibili we-thermodynamics. Umthetho wesibili we-thermodynamics uchaza ukuthi yiziphi izinqubo ezingenzeka endaweni yonke nokuthi yiziphi izinqubo ezingenakwenzeka. Usosayensi othile ogama lakhe lingu-RJE Clausius (1822-1888) wenza lesi sitatimende esilandelayo:
Ngokwemvelo, ukushisa kuhamba kusuka ezintweni ezinokushisa okuphezulu kuya ezintweni ezinokushisa okuphansi; ngokwemvelo, ukushisa akuqhubeki kusuka ezintweni ezinokushisa okuphansi kuya ezintweni ezinokushisa okuphezulu (Umthetho wesibili we-thermodynamics—isitatimende sikaClausius).
Isitatimende sikaClausius singenye yezitatimende ezikhethekile zomthetho wesibili we-thermodynamics. Sibizwa ngokuthi isitatimende esikhethekile ngoba sisebenza kuphela enkambisweni eyodwa kuphela, ehlobene nokudluliswa kokushisa. Njengoba lesi sitatimende singahlobene nezinye izinqubo, sidinga isitatimende esibanzi kakhulu. Ukuthuthukiswa kwesitatimende esijwayelekile zomthetho wesibili we-thermodynamics kusekelwe ocwaningweni lwezinjini zokushisa. Ngakho-ke, sixoxa ngokushisa kwenjini kuqala.
Bheka into ehamba iqonde phezulu ize ifinyelele ukuphakama okuphezulu ngaphambi kokwehla iye phansi ibheke endaweni yayo yokuqala. Uma ihamba iqonde phezulu ngo-h, isisindo siphambene nokushintshashintsha. Ngakho-ke, isisindo senza umsebenzi ongemuhle entweni.