Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 19, 2026

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids

Published on: December 4, 2017

Unlikely Fluctuations and Non-Equilibrium Work Theorems-A Simple Example.

¹Department of Physics, Purdue University , West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States.

The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B

|June 9, 2016

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

Quantifying Work

Quantifying Work

As a system undergoes a change, its internal energy can change, and energy can be transferred from the system to the surroundings, or from the surroundings to the system.

Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

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...

Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

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...

Classical Mechanics

Classical Mechanics

Classical mechanics provides a mathematical description of the motion of bodies under the influence of forces. A key principle within this field is the work-energy theorem, which establishes a bridge between the net work done on an object and its kinetic energy.The work-energy theorem states that the net work done on a particle by all the forces acting on it equals the change in its kinetic energy.In simple terms, the work-energy theorem is a method to analyze the effects of forces on an...

Limits of the First Law of Thermodynamics

Limits of the First Law of Thermodynamics

Spontaneous processes, like a rock falling to the ground or sodium reacting with chlorine, occur without external work and often involve a decrease in the system‘s energy. However, certain endothermic processes, such as the dissolution of sodium chloride in water, occur spontaneously even though they increase the energy of the system. This limitation suggests that the First Law of Thermodynamics, which states that the total energy of a system is constant in an isolated system, cannot...

The Second Law of Thermodynamics

The Second Law of Thermodynamics

In the quest to identify a property that may reliably predict the spontaneity of a process, a promising candidate has been identified: entropy. Scientists refer to the measure of randomness or disorder within a system as entropy. High entropy means high disorder and low energy. To better understand entropy, think of a student’s bedroom. If no energy or work were put into it, the room would quickly become messy. It would exist in a very disordered state, one of high entropy. Energy must be...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

A Bayesian approach to an interlaboratory comparison.

Chemometrics and intelligent laboratory systems : an international journal sponsored by the Chemometrics Society·2018

Same author

Ultra-trace analysis of <sup>41</sup>Ca in urine by accelerator mass spectrometry: an inter-laboratory comparison.

Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section B, Beam interactions with materials and atoms·2013

Same journal

Conformational Positioning of the LXCXE Motif of LTSV40 within an Ordered-Disordered Transition Drives pRb Binding Cleft Recognition.

The journal of physical chemistry. B·2026

Same journal

Predicting Nirmatrelvir Resistance in SARS-CoV-2 M<sup>pro</sup> Mutants with an Integrated Computational Framework.

The journal of physical chemistry. B·2026

Same journal

From Cation Solvation to Anion Coordination: Lewis-Acidic Boranes Enable Halide Salt Electrolytes.

The journal of physical chemistry. B·2026

Same journal

In Vitro-Prepared A30P Alpha-Synuclein Fibrils Adopt the Conserved and Disease-Relevant Greek Key Fold.

The journal of physical chemistry. B·2026

Same journal

Metastructure Analysis of Self-Assembled Nanocubes with Different Equatorial Methyl Groups Based on Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

The journal of physical chemistry. B·2026

Same journal

A Cocoordinated <sup>1</sup>H Internal Reference Quantifies Proton-Exchange Bias in Coordinated-Water Diffusion.

The journal of physical chemistry. B·2026

See all related articles

Statistical mechanics reveals surprising work equalities in nonequilibrium processes. Analyzing Brownian motion with gravity clarifies these equalities, highlighting the role of large, unlikely fluctuations.

Area of Science:

Statistical mechanics
Physical chemistry

Background:

Nonequilibrium processes in statistical mechanics.
Astumian's work on work equalities.

Purpose of the Study:

Analyze Astumian's example of work equality.
Clarify the role of fluctuations in Brownian motion.

Main Methods:

Analysis of Brownian motion.
Connection to geometric Brownian motion.

Main Results:

Explicitly demonstrated the inner workings of the work equality.
Highlighted the significant role of large, unlikely fluctuations.

Conclusions:

The study clarifies a surprising work equality in statistical mechanics.

More Related Videos

A Fluorescence Fluctuation Spectroscopy Assay of Protein-Protein Interactions at Cell-Cell Contacts

A Fluorescence Fluctuation Spectroscopy Assay of Protein-Protein Interactions at Cell-Cell Contacts

Published on: December 1, 2018

Experimental Investigation of Secondary Flow Structures Downstream of a Model Type IV Stent Failure in a 180° Curved Artery Test Section

Experimental Investigation of Secondary Flow Structures Downstream of a Model Type IV Stent Failure in a 180° Curved Artery Test Section

Published on: July 19, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 19, 2026

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids

Published on: December 4, 2017

A Fluorescence Fluctuation Spectroscopy Assay of Protein-Protein Interactions at Cell-Cell Contacts

A Fluorescence Fluctuation Spectroscopy Assay of Protein-Protein Interactions at Cell-Cell Contacts

Published on: December 1, 2018

Experimental Investigation of Secondary Flow Structures Downstream of a Model Type IV Stent Failure in a 180° Curved Artery Test Section

Experimental Investigation of Secondary Flow Structures Downstream of a Model Type IV Stent Failure in a 180° Curved Artery Test Section

Published on: July 19, 2016

Large fluctuations are crucial for understanding nonequilibrium processes.