The dispute began over who was the first to propose the equivalence of work and heat. Tait and Tyndall began an argument over whether Joule or Julius Robert Mayer von Mayer had priority.
Nagsimula ang alitan sa kung sino ang unang na imungkahi ang pagkapareho ng trabaho at init. Tait at Tyndall nagsimula ang isang argument sa kung dyul o Julius Robert Mayer von Mayer nagkaroon ng prayoridad.