ZB 10 - Soft Condensed Matter (R. Holyst)

Challenges in thermodynamics: Irreversible processes, nonextensive entropies, and systems without equilibrium states

Author(s): Holyst, Robert
Title: Challenges in thermodynamics: Irreversible processes, nonextensive entropies, and systems without equilibrium states
Abstract: Recent works on evaporation and condensation demonstrate that even these irreversible processes, studied for over 100 years, are not understood. In the case of a liquid evaporating into its vapor, the temperature is constant during evaporation and the evaporation is governed by the heat transfer from the hotter vapor into the liquid. Whether liquid evaporates into its own vapor or into the the irreversible pathway in the process goes through a number of which quickly lead to the steady-state conditions with mechanical in most parts of the system-the fact overlooked in all studies. Even less is known about general rules which govern far from equilibrium. Recently, it has been demonstrated that a done in an irreversible process can be related to the free energy between equilibrium states joined by the process. Finally, a challenge in thermodynamics is a description of living systems they do not have equilibrium states, are nonextensive, (i.e., they be divided into subsystems), and cannot be isolated. Thus, their proper description requires new paradigms in thermodynamics.
Pages: 1719-1726
Journal: PURE AND APPLIED CHEMISTRY
Volume: 81
ID: ISI:000271179300002
Year: 2009
DOI: 10.1351/PAC-CON-08-07-13