Philosophy of thermal and statistical physics

Thermodynamics
The classical Carnot heat engine
Branches Classical Statistical Chemical Quantum thermodynamics Equilibrium / Non-equilibrium
Laws Zeroth First Second Third
Systems Closed system Isolated system State Equation of state Ideal gas Real gas State of matter Phase (matter) Equilibrium Control volume Instruments Processes Isobaric Isochoric Isothermal Adiabatic Isentropic Isenthalpic Quasistatic Polytropic Free expansion Reversibility Irreversibility Endoreversibility Cycles Heat engines Heat pumps Thermal efficiency
System properties Note: Conjugate variables in italics Property diagrams Intensive and extensive properties Process functions Work Heat Functions of state Temperature / Entropy (introduction) Pressure / Volume Chemical potential / Particle number Vapor quality Reduced properties
Material properties Property databases Specific heat capacity  ${\displaystyle c=}$ ${\displaystyle T}$ ${\displaystyle \partial S}$ ${\displaystyle N}$ ${\displaystyle \partial T}$ Compressibility  ${\displaystyle \beta =-}$ ${\displaystyle 1}$ ${\displaystyle \partial V}$ ${\displaystyle V}$ ${\displaystyle \partial p}$ Thermal expansion  ${\displaystyle \alpha =}$ ${\displaystyle 1}$ ${\displaystyle \partial V}$ ${\displaystyle V}$ ${\displaystyle \partial T}$
Equations Carnot's theorem Clausius theorem Fundamental relation Ideal gas law Maxwell relations Onsager reciprocal relations Bridgman's equations Table of thermodynamic equations
Potentials Free energy Free entropy Internal energy ${\displaystyle U(S,V)}$ Enthalpy ${\displaystyle H(S,p)=U+pV}$ Helmholtz free energy ${\displaystyle A(T,V)=U-TS}$ Gibbs free energy ${\displaystyle G(T,p)=H-TS}$
History Culture History General Entropy Gas laws "Perpetual motion" machines Philosophy Entropy and time Entropy and life Brownian ratchet Maxwell's demon Heat death paradox Loschmidt's paradox Synergetics Theories Caloric theory Vis viva ("living force") Mechanical equivalent of heat Motive power Key publications "An Experimental Enquiry Concerning ... Heat" "On the Equilibrium of Heterogeneous Substances" "Reflections on the Motive Power of Fire" Timelines Thermodynamics Heat engines Art Education Maxwell's thermodynamic surface Entropy as energy dispersal
Scientists Bernoulli Boltzmann Bridgman Carnot Clapeyron Clausius Carathéodory de Donder Duhem Gibbs von Helmholtz Joule Lewis Massieu Maxwell von Mayer Nernst Onsager Planck Rankine Smeaton Stahl Tait Thompson Thomson van der Waals Waterston
Other Nucleation Self-assembly Self-organization Order and disorder
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The philosophy of thermal and statistical physics is that part of the philosophy of physics whose subject matter is an amalgam of classical thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, and related theories. Its central questions include: What is entropy, and what does the second law of thermodynamics say about it? Does either thermodynamics or statistical mechanics contain an element of time-irreversibility? If so, what does statistical mechanics tell us about the arrow of time? What is the nature of the probabilities that appear in statistical mechanics?

See also[]

• Laws of thermodynamics
• Maxwell's demon
• H-theorem
• Maximum entropy thermodynamics
• Entropy in thermodynamics and information theory

References[]

• Uffink, J., 2001, "Bluff your way in the second law of thermodynamics," Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 32(3): 305–94.
• --------, 2007, "Compendium of the Foundations of Classical Statistical Physics" in Butterfield, J., and John Earman, eds., Philosophy of Physics, Part B. North Holland: 923–1074.
• Valev, P., 2002, "The Law of Self-Acting Machines and Irreversible Processes with reversible Replicas," in Sheehan, D., (ed.) Proceedings of the First International conference on Quantum Limits to the Second Law, American Institute of Physics: 430–35.
• Martinas et al., Thermodynamics: History And Philosophy - Facts, Trends, Debates
• Hoyer, Thermodynamics and Philosophy: Ludwig Boltzmann
• Sklar, Physics and Chance: Philosophical Issues in the Foundations of Statistical Mechanics
• Ernst & Hüttemann, Time, Chance, and Reduction: Philosophical Aspects of Statistical Mechanics

External links[]

• Sklar, Lawrence (2015). "Philosophy of Statistical Mechanics". Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved 2019-04-17.
• Uffink, Jos (2014). "Boltzmann's Work in Statistical Physics". Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved 2019-04-17.

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