The second law of thermodynamics as a force law

  • The second law of thermodynamics states the increase of entropy, \(\Delta\)S > 0, for real processes from state A to state B at constant energy from chemistry over biological life and engines to cosmic events. The connection of entropy to information, phase-space, and heat is helpful but does not immediately convince observers of the validity and basis of the second law. This gave grounds for finding a rigorous, but more easily acceptable reformulation. Here, we show using statistical mechanics that this principle is equivalent to a force law \(\langle\langle\) f \(\rangle\rangle\) > 0 in systems where mass centers and forces can be identified. The sign of this net force—the average mean force along a path from A to B—determines the direction of the process. The force law applies to a wide range of processes from machines to chemical reactions. The explanation of irreversibility by a driving force appears more plausible than the traditional formulation as it emphasizes the cause instead of the effect of motions.

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Metadaten
Author:Jürgen SchlitterGND
URN:urn:nbn:de:hbz:294-60089
DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/e20040234
Parent Title (English):Entropy
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Date of Publication (online):2018/07/20
Date of first Publication:2018/03/28
Publishing Institution:Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsbibliothek
Tag:Open Access Fonds
arrow of time; chemical dynamics; irreversibility; statistical mechanics
Volume:20
Issue:4
First Page:1
Last Page:7
Note:
Article Processing Charge funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and the Open Access Publication Fund of Ruhr-Universität Bochum.
Institutes/Facilities:Lehrstuhl für Biophysik
Dewey Decimal Classification:Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / Physik
open_access (DINI-Set):open_access
faculties:Fakultät für Biologie und Biotechnologie
Licence (English):License LogoCreative Commons - CC BY 4.0 - Attribution 4.0 International