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Related Concept Videos

Entropy02:39

Entropy

Salt particles that have dissolved in water never spontaneously come back together in solution to reform solid particles. Moreover, a gas that has expanded in a vacuum remains dispersed and never spontaneously reassembles. The unidirectional nature of these phenomena is the result of a thermodynamic state function called entropy (S). Entropy is the measure of the extent to which the energy is dispersed throughout a system, or in other words, it is proportional to the degree of disorder of a...
Entropy01:18

Entropy

The first law of thermodynamics is quantitatively formulated via an equation relating the internal energy of a system, the heat exchanged by it, and the work done on it. A quantitative formulation of the second law of thermodynamics leads to defining a state function, the entropy.
When an ideal gas expands isothermally, the disorder in the gas increases. From the molecular perspective, the gas molecules have more volume to move around in.
Consider an infinitesimal step in the expansion, which...
Entropy Change in Reversible Processes01:10

Entropy Change in Reversible Processes

In the Carnot engine, which achieves the maximum efficiency between two reservoirs of fixed temperatures, the total change in entropy is zero. The observation can be generalized by considering any reversible cyclic process consisting of many Carnot cycles. Thus, it can be stated that the total entropy change of any ideal reversible cycle is zero.
The statement can be further generalized to prove that entropy is a state function. Take a cyclic process between any two points on a p-V diagram.
Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics01:20

Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

The second law of thermodynamics can be stated quantitatively using the concept of entropy. Entropy is the measure of disorder of the system.
The relation  between entropy and disorder can be illustrated with the example of the phase change of ice to water. In ice, the molecules are located at specific sites giving a solid state, whereas, in a liquid form, these molecules are much freer to move. The molecular arrangement has therefore become more randomized. Although the change in average...
Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics01:26

Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

Consider an isolated system in which a hot object is placed in contact with a cold one. This is an irreversible process that eventually leads both objects to reach the same equilibrium temperature. It is crucial to note that the constituents of any substance exhibit increased disorder at higher temperatures. As a cold substance absorbs heat, its constituents become more disordered. The energy transfer from a hotter object to a cooler one increases the system's disorder or randomness. This...
Thermodynamic Systems01:06

Thermodynamic Systems

A thermodynamic system is a set of objects whose thermodynamic properties are of interest. The system is considered to be embedded in its surroundings or the environment. The system and its environment can exchange heat and do work on each other through a boundary that separates them. However, the immediate surroundings of the system interact with it directly and therefore have a much stronger influence on its behavior and properties.
Consider an example of  tea boiling in a kettle. The tea and...

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An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids
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Stochastic thermodynamics under coarse graining.

Massimiliano Esposito1

  • 1Complex Systems and Statistical Mechanics, University of Luxembourg, L-1511 Luxembourg, Luxembourg.

Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
|June 12, 2012
PubMed
Summary

This study presents a general stochastic thermodynamics for open systems. It shows that mesostate descriptions recover microscopic theory when microstates rapidly thermalize, otherwise, additional entropy contributions arise.

Area of Science:

  • Statistical Mechanics
  • Quantum Thermodynamics
  • Open Quantum Systems

Background:

  • Stochastic thermodynamics traditionally focuses on systems in contact with a single reservoir.
  • Understanding open systems with multiple reservoirs and internal complexity is crucial for advanced applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a general formulation of stochastic thermodynamics for open systems exchanging energy and particles with multiple reservoirs.
  • To investigate the impact of mesostate partitioning on thermodynamic descriptions.
  • To analyze the conditions under which microscopic theory is recovered at the mesostate level.

Main Methods:

  • Introduction of a "mesostate" partition (sets of microstates) within the system.
  • Detailed analysis of the thermodynamic consequences of this partitioning.

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  • Application to a model system of two coupled quantum dots for illustration.

    • Main Results:

    • The mesostate level recovers the full microscopic theory structure when microstates within mesostates rapidly thermalize.
    • Non-equilibrium microstates within mesostates lead to additional contributions to the entropy balance.
    • The formulation is demonstrated using a two-coupled-quantum-dot model.

    Conclusions:

    • The generalized stochastic thermodynamics provides a framework for systems with complex internal structures and multiple reservoirs.
    • The thermalization dynamics of microstates significantly influence the emergent thermodynamic description at the mesoscale.
    • This work offers insights into non-equilibrium thermodynamics in mesoscopic and quantum systems.