Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Carnot Cycle01:30

The Carnot Cycle

4.2K
Converting work to heat is an irreversible process, and the purpose of a heat engine is to reverse the effect partially. Heat engines aim to increase the efficiency of the reversal, that is, maximize the work retrieved from heat. If the efficiency of a heat engine were 100%, it would imply reversing the process completely without introducing any other effect. Thus, it would violate the second law of thermodynamics.
What could be the theoretical limit to the efficiency of a heat engine? The...
4.2K
Statements of the Second Law of Thermodynamics01:15

Statements of the Second Law of Thermodynamics

5.1K
The second law of thermodynamics can be stated in several different ways, and all of them can be shown to imply the others. The Clausius’ statement of the second law of thermodynamics is based on the irreversibility of spontaneous heat flow. It states that heat will not flow from the colder body to the hotter body unless some other process is involved. Additionally, as per the Kelvin’s statement, it is impossible to convert the heat from a single source into work without any other...
5.1K
The Carnot Cycle and the Second Law of Thermodynamics01:20

The Carnot Cycle and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

3.9K
The Carnot engine works between two heat reservoirs of fixed temperatures. The Carnot cycle begs the following question: Is it possible to devise a heat engine that is more efficient than a Carnot engine between two fixed temperatures? The answer lies in designing a Carnot refrigerator.
Since the individual steps in a Carnot cycle can be reversed, the entire cycle is, thus, reversible. If a Carnot cycle is reversed, it becomes a Carnot refrigerator. It extracts heat Qc from a cold reservoir at...
3.9K
Enthalpy02:59

Enthalpy

48.6K
Chemists ordinarily use a property known as enthalpy (H) to describe the thermodynamics of chemical and physical processes. Enthalpy is defined as the sum of a system’s internal energy (E) and the mathematical product of its pressure (P) and volume (V):
48.6K
Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics01:14

Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics

7.3K
Experimentally, if object A is in equilibrium with object B, and object B is in equilibrium with object C, then object A is in equilibrium with object C. That statement of transitivity is called the "zeroth law of thermodynamics." For example, a cold metal block and a hot metal block are both placed on a metal plate at room temperature. Eventually, the cold block and the plate will be in thermal equilibrium. In addition, the hot block and the plate will be in thermal equilibrium.
7.3K
Entropy01:18

Entropy

3.7K
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...
3.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Scaling laws and paradoxical metastable states in nanofilament entropic separation.

The Journal of chemical physics·2026
Same author

A Pedagogical Reinforcement of the Ideal (Hard Sphere) Gas Using a Lattice Model: From Quantized Volume to Mechanical Equilibrium.

Entropy (Basel, Switzerland)·2026
Same author

Surface Excess Energy as a Unifying Thermodynamic Framework for Active Diffusion.

The journal of physical chemistry. B·2026
Same author

Entropy Production in a System of Janus Particles.

Entropy (Basel, Switzerland)·2025
Same author

Nanoscale nonlocal thermal transport and thermal field emission in high-current resonant tunnel structures.

Scientific reports·2025
Same author

Lattice Models in Molecular Thermodynamics: Merging the Configurational and Translational Entropies.

The journal of physical chemistry. B·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 19, 2026

Asymmetric Thermoelectrochemical Cell for Harvesting Low-grade Heat under Isothermal Operation
09:09

Asymmetric Thermoelectrochemical Cell for Harvesting Low-grade Heat under Isothermal Operation

Published on: February 5, 2020

7.7K

Thermodynamics Far from the Thermodynamic Limit.

Rodrigo de Miguel1, J Miguel Rubí2

  • 1Department of Teacher Education, Norwegian University of Science and Technology , 7491 Trondheim, Norway.

The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B
|November 8, 2017
PubMed
Summary

This study explores how small systems reach thermal equilibrium with their environment. It proposes a mechanism for progressive thermalization and spectrum adjustment, applicable to nanosystem design.

More Related Videos

Cryogenic Liquid Jets for High Repetition Rate Discovery Science
08:34

Cryogenic Liquid Jets for High Repetition Rate Discovery Science

Published on: May 9, 2020

3.5K
Non-equilibrium Microwave Plasma for Efficient High Temperature Chemistry
07:17

Non-equilibrium Microwave Plasma for Efficient High Temperature Chemistry

Published on: August 1, 2017

13.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 19, 2026

Asymmetric Thermoelectrochemical Cell for Harvesting Low-grade Heat under Isothermal Operation
09:09

Asymmetric Thermoelectrochemical Cell for Harvesting Low-grade Heat under Isothermal Operation

Published on: February 5, 2020

7.7K
Cryogenic Liquid Jets for High Repetition Rate Discovery Science
08:34

Cryogenic Liquid Jets for High Repetition Rate Discovery Science

Published on: May 9, 2020

3.5K
Non-equilibrium Microwave Plasma for Efficient High Temperature Chemistry
07:17

Non-equilibrium Microwave Plasma for Efficient High Temperature Chemistry

Published on: August 1, 2017

13.2K

Area of Science:

  • Thermodynamics
  • Quantum mechanics
  • Statistical mechanics

Background:

  • Understanding energy exchange between small systems and heat baths is crucial for characterizing environmental effects on system properties.
  • The behavior of nanosystems is significantly influenced by their surrounding thermal environment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To apply Landsberg's theory of temperature-dependent energy levels to model the thermalization of small systems.
  • To propose a mechanism for discrete excitations and isentropic spectrum adjustments leading to thermal equilibrium.
  • To analyze the thermal relaxation of a single harmonic oscillator as a model system.

Main Methods:

  • Application of Landsberg's theory of temperature-dependent energy levels.
  • Modeling the progressive thermalization of small systems.
  • Analysis of a single harmonic oscillator embedded in a thermal environment.

Main Results:

  • A mechanism for discrete excitations and isentropic spectrum adjustments leading to thermal equilibrium is proposed.
  • Standard thermodynamic results are reproduced without invoking system size.
  • The thermal relaxation of a harmonic oscillator demonstrates the process.

Conclusions:

  • The proposed mechanism provides a framework for understanding thermalization in small systems.
  • Environmental factors, like temperature, can be utilized as design parameters for nanosystems.
  • This work lays the foundation for controlling nanosystem properties through environmental interactions.