Speaker
Prof.
Denis Evans
(The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia)
Description
Over the last 15 years we have discovered a group of related
theorems that enable us to prove the ”laws” of
thermodynamics. Each of these ”laws” is provable for time
reversible, deterministic equations of motion that satisfy a
mathematical condition called T-mixing. The axiom of
causality is also required. These proofs involve a new
mathematical quantity first defined in 2000, namely
dissipation. Dissipation, not entropy, turns out to be the
central quantity for the fluctuation theorems, the
dissipation theorems, linear and nonlinear response theory,
and the relaxation theorem. Using dissipation, we can also
derive Clausius’ Inequality and Equality, without assuming
the Second ”Law” of thermodynamics.
Primary author
Prof.
Denis Evans
(The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia)
