Boltzmann distribution
-
Entropy = order (not dis-order)
In his Physical Chemistry book (6th Edition, p. 99), Peter Atkins wrote that entropy “is a measure of the molecular disorder of a system.” Other references contain similar statements that connect entropy with disorder. I see things differently. The appearance of structure in large systems of colliding atoms Assume a system of a trillion atoms… Continue reading
-
The Road to Entropy – Boltzmann and his probabilistic entropy
Ludwig Boltzmann (1844-1906) brought his mastery of mathematics to the kinetic theory of gases and provided us with our first mechanical understanding of entropy. To Boltzmann, his work proved that entropy ALWAYS increases or remains constant. But to others, most notably Josef Loschmidt (1821-1895), his work contained a paradox that needed to be addressed. Loschmidt… Continue reading
Block by Block – The Historical and Theoretical Foundations of Thermodynamics. “Hanlon has written a masterpiece.” – Mike Pauken, Senior Engineer, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and author of Thermodynamics for Dummies
SUBSCRIBE
About Me
Hi! I’m Bob Hanlon. After earning my Sc.D. in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and enjoying a long career in both industry and academia, I’ve returned to school, my own self-guided school, seeking to better understand the world of thermodynamics. Please join me on my journey.
You must be logged in to post a comment.