Relativity and temperature question

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    Relativity Temperature
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the relationship between temperature and relativity, particularly how temperature fluctuations in an object's rest frame are perceived in a moving reference frame. Participants explore the implications of relativistic effects on temperature, the physical meaning of temperature as a function of time, and the underlying physics concepts such as quantum mechanics and thermodynamics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Guru proposes a model for temperature fluctuations in an object's rest frame, defined as T(t) = T_e + T_0 sin(ωt), and questions how this would be perceived in a moving reference frame.
  • Daniel questions the physical interpretation of T(t) and seeks clarification on its meaning.
  • Zz challenges the existence of time-varying temperature in thermal equilibrium and requests an example.
  • Some participants suggest that temperature is measured in the object's rest frame and that time dilation does not affect temperature measurements directly.
  • Guru discusses the emission and absorption of photons as a basis for temperature fluctuations, linking it to thermal energy changes.
  • Daniel inquires about the relevant physics discipline that could explain the proposed temperature formula.
  • Participants express differing views on the derivation and interpretation of fundamental constants like Planck's constant, with some asserting it cannot be derived while others suggest connections to various physics fields.
  • There is a mention of the equipartition theorem in relation to temperature and kinetic energy in fluids.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express multiple competing views on the relationship between temperature and relativity, the physical meaning of temperature fluctuations, and the interpretation of fundamental constants. The discussion remains unresolved with no consensus reached.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the dependence on specific definitions of temperature and the assumptions made regarding thermal equilibrium and relativistic effects. Some mathematical steps and physical interpretations remain unresolved.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in the intersection of thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, and relativity, as well as those exploring the conceptual foundations of temperature in different reference frames.

Physicsguru
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Since the other thread got moved for a reason that I do not understand, let me try to ask a question which belongs in this category.

Suppose that the temperature of some object is T(t), where t is the time coordinate in the objects rest frame. Now, in reality nothing has a perfectly constant temperature, rather there are tiny fluctuations about some average temperature Te.

Suppose the temperature of some object in its rest frame is given by

[tex]T(t) = T_e + T_0 sin(\omega t)[/tex]

Where Te is the average temperature of the object, and T0 is the maximum amplitude of the temperature flux, and [tex]\frac{dT_0}{dt} = 0[/tex], and [tex]\frac{d\omega}{dt} = 0[/tex]

What does relativity say that the temperature is in a reference frame moving at a relative speed of v?

Regards,

Guru
 
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Physics news on Phys.org
Ignore relativity:what does that [itex]T=T(t)[/itex] mean,PHYSICALLY SPEAKING...?

Daniel.
 
dextercioby said:
Ignore relativity:what does that [itex]T=T(t)[/itex] mean,PHYSICALLY SPEAKING...?

Daniel.

That the temperature is a function of time.

Regards,

Guru
 
Physicsguru said:
Since the other thread got moved for a reason that I do not understand,

Considering that a bunch of your threads got moved to the TD section, you appear to be a very slow learner, or you simply refuse to learn.

Can you point out one, JUST ONE, example of such time variation of temperature that is in a thermal equilibrium? And if you point out that this occurs in a superconductor once again via a supposition, I will repeat my recommendation.

Zz.
 
Physicsguru said:
That the temperature is a function of time.

Regards,

Guru

Sorry,this the mathematical interpretation... :wink: PHYSICS,please...

Daniel.
 
ZapperZ said:
Considering that a bunch of your threads got moved to the TD section, you appear to be a very slow learner, or you simply refuse to learn.

Can you point out one, JUST ONE, example of such time variation of temperature that is in a thermal equilibrium? And if you point out that this occurs in a superconductor once again via a supposition, I will repeat my recommendation.

Zz.

I want to watch someone do a Lorentz transformation on a very simple formula.
 
Is this another one of those 'if time dilation slows down motion, doesn't that decrease the temperature of an object?' misunderstandings? Hint: Temperature is measured in your frame. Time dilation is something that happens in the other guy's frame. Time dilation does not affect temperature. (measurements of radiated energy of moving objects, however...)
 
dextercioby said:
Sorry,this the mathematical interpretation... :wink: PHYSICS,please...

Daniel.

Mathematically to say that something is a function of time t, means many things, the main one being that if we differentiate that function with respect to t, that we will get a formula, rather than zero.

Physically, to say that temperature is a function of time, would be to take out statistical analysis, and say that there is some precise reason why the temperature must fluctuate. Is that the kind of answer you were looking for?

Regards,

Guru
 
And to what kind of "fluctuations" would you refer to...?

Daniel.
 
  • #10
Physicsguru said:
I want to watch someone do a Lorentz transformation on a very simple formula.

Fine. However, if you start invoking any "magical" superconductivity stuff without bothering to actually learn what it is, you can bet that I'll be all over it like a cheap suit.

Zz.
 
  • #11
dextercioby said:
And to what kind of "fluctuations" would you refer to...?

Daniel.

Well, a body can emit photons, and absorb photons. Those photons either carry away energy (in the form of heat) or supply energy (in the form of increased speed of electrons). So to say that there is a "temperature" fluctuation, it suffices to say that there is a "thermal energy" fluctuation.

Regards,

Guru
 
  • #12
So what chapter of physics could account for your formula...?

Assume i know nothing and i ask you what discipline of (more or less) modern physics explains [itex]T=T_{equil}+Amplit\cdot\sin\omega t[/itex]

Daniel.

P.S.And promiss Zapper you won't bring superconductivity into discussion...
 
  • #13
dextercioby said:
P.S.And promiss Zapper you won't bring superconductivity into discussion...
No, see, since electrons are moving "fast," they get cold due to time dilation, thus: superconductivity!
 
  • #14
dextercioby said:
So what chapter of physics could account for your formula...?

Assume i know nothing and i ask you what discipline of (more or less) modern physics explains [itex]T=T_{equil}+Amplit\cdot\sin\omega t[/itex]

Daniel.

P.S.And promiss Zapper you won't bring superconductivity into discussion...

Quantum mechanics covers the emission and absorption of photons from a hydrogen atom. For atoms of higher atomic number, the mathematics is too complex to find a precise formula for the wavefunction. This would be the 'modern physics' answer.

According to quantum physics, a photon has an energy given by:

[tex]E = hf[/tex]

Where f is the frequency of a photon, and h is Planck's constant, which is presumed to be a fundamental constant of nature. In other words, h is NOT a function of time, so that dh/dt=0.

In quantum mechanics, the frequency f of a photon is proportional to omega we have:

[tex]\omega = 2\pi f[/tex]

Which appears in the quantum mechanical wavefunction:

[tex]\psi (x,y,z,t) = e^{i(k\vec r - \omega t)}[/tex]


Less modern, would be to try and use thermodynamics/statistical mechanics, founded by Boltzmann in the late 1800's. One could also try to derive h from classical electromagnetism, thermodynamics, and statistical mechanics, by trying to connect stephan's constant [tex]\sigma[/tex] to quantum mechanics, and electrodynamics, but that would be difficult, if not impossible.

Regards,

Guru
 
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  • #15
I've always seen temperature defined in the rest frame of the fluid when speaking relativistically.

For an ideal gas/ideal fluid, temperature is (physically), proportional to the kinetic energy of the particles in the fluid in the fluid's rest frame, as dexter was hinting.

For more complex fluids such as actual gasses, one has to consider factors such as rotational and vibrational degrees of freedom -- every degree of freedom has an energy of kT/2 because of the equipartition theorem.
 
  • #16
Physicsguru said:
Quantum mechanics covers the emission and absorption of photons from a hydrogen atom.

Incorrect.

Physicsguru said:
This would be the 'modern physics' answer.

An incorrect answer... :rolleyes:

Physicsguru said:
According to quantum physics, a photon has an energy given by:

[tex]E = hf[/tex]

Where f is the frequency of a photon, and h is Planck's constant, which is presumed to be a fundamental constant of nature. In other words, h is NOT a function of time, so that dh/dt=0.

Yes.

Physicsguru said:
In quantum mechanics, the frequency f of a photon is proportional to omega we have:

Incorrect.

[tex]\omega = 2\pi f[/tex]

Physicsguru said:
Which appears in the quantum mechanical wavefunction:

[tex]\psi (x,y,z,t) = e^{i(kx - \omega t)}[/tex]

Incorrect.


Physicsguru said:
Less modern, would be to try and use thermodynamics/statistical mechanics, founded by Boltzmann in the late 1800's.

Why would you say that...?

Physicsguru said:
One could also try to derive "h" from classical electromagnetism, thermodynamics, and statistical mechanics, by first finding out how stephan's constant [tex]\sigma[/tex] connects to quantum mechanics, and electrodynamics, but that would be messy.

"h" cannot be derived."h" is postulated.Period.

Daniel.
 
  • #17
dextercioby said:
Incorrect.



An incorrect answer... :rolleyes:



Yes.



Incorrect.

[tex]\omega = 2\pi f[/tex]



Incorrect.




Why would you say that...?



"h" cannot be derived."h" is postulated.Period.

Daniel.

Then by all means, suggest to me your corrections, and let's see if i correct them or not.

Kind regards,

Guru
 
  • #18
Hi all, I am slightly interested in this question so I thought I'd jump aboard.
Questions I have before further thought on this:
By temperature do you mean the moving objects rate at which it emits radiation?
Or do you mean it has a temperature that, if it weren't moving, would remain constant. It emits nothing?

Are you asking what the emmitted radiation would do under Lorentzian transformation?

Why does temperature have to be a function of time? Can it not be constant?

Are you trying to imply that the rate of change of temperature(emmitted radiation) is a function of velocity?

Thanks.
 
  • #19
pervect said:
I've always seen temperature defined in the rest frame of the fluid when speaking relativistically.

For an ideal gas/ideal fluid, temperature is (physically), proportional to the kinetic energy of the particles in the fluid in the fluid's rest frame, as dexter was hinting.

Mmm hmm, U = 3/2 kT, in the rest frame of the fluid, using the Mawellian speed distribution formula. The derivation of the formula quite long, but rather interesting.

Regards,

Guru
 
  • #20
The reason why i put that "incorrect" word after almost every phrase of yours is because you don't seem to grasp the object of quantum mechanics...Specifically,you do not know that in the field of quantum mechanics,the word photon doesn't have any meaning...And Planck's constant is postulated...

Do you insinuate that,by performing a LT over the formula giving internal energy vs.equilibrium temperature,the time dependence of temperature would become explicit...?

Daniel.
 
  • #21
Healey01 said:
Questions I have before further thought on this:
By temperature do you mean the moving objects rate at which it emits radiation?
Or do you mean it has a temperature that, if it weren't moving, would remain constant. It emits nothing?

By temperature, I mean that temperature is a measure of the internal kinetic energy of the parts which make up the object, in some frame where the center of mass of the system is at rest. A balloon contains helium gas, the gas molecules are all inside of it, and the balloon has a center of mass. Consistent with what Pervect wrote.

Regards,

Guru

PS:
Operational definition: Put your hand on an electric stove which is off, and your hand will not get burned. Turn on the stove, wait five minutes, and repeat the experiment. You will be on your way to the hospital, unless you performed the experiment with your eyes open. After five minutes, you will see that the metal is glowing red hot. Common sense will then tell you not to put your hand on it, because you will get a severe burn. What has changed, is the speed of the parts in the metal.
 
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  • #22
Physicsguru said:
By temperature, I mean that temperature is a measure of the internal kinetic energy of the parts which make up the object, in some frame where the center of mass of the parts is at rest. Consistent with what Pervect wrote.

Regards,

Guru

In all of this, there seems to be something missing here. Are you trying to develop a theory for including relativistic effects in thermodynamics? I mean, aren't you aware of the development of relativistic thermodynamics, or did you miss that completely (considering your track record of ignoring already-established theory, I wouldn't put this pass you completely). There are already tons of stuff out there on Relativistic thermodynamics[1], even a text on it![2] Are you disputing these works, or are you trying to come up with new ones?

Zz.

[1] http://lanl.arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/9803007
[2] R.C. Tolman "Relativity, Thermodynamics and Cosmology" (Dover, 1987)
 
  • #23
Zz,is the 1934 edition fundamentally different than the one republished in 1987...?

Daniel.
 
  • #24
dextercioby said:
The reason why i put that "incorrect" word after almost every phrase of yours is because you don't seem to grasp the object of quantum mechanics...Specifically,you do not know that in the field of quantum mechanics,the word photon doesn't have any meaning...And Planck's constant is postulated...

You don't postulate a constant of nature, you measure it. What do you mean by "field of quantum mechanics"? There is quantum physics, quantum theory, quantum mechanics, quantum electrodynamics, quantum chromodynamics?

dextercioby said:
Do you insinuate that,by performing a LT over the formula giving internal energy vs.equilibrium temperature,the time dependence of temperature would become explicit...?

Daniel.

The way I have phrased the question, starts off with time dependence of temperature being 'explicit', in the rest frame of an object. The question then is, what is the temperature of the object as measured by an observer moving at a speed v relative to the object.

Regards,

Guru
 
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  • #25
Physicsguru said:
You don't postulate a constant of nature, you measure it. What do you mean by "field of quantum mechanics"? There is quantum physics, quantum theory, quantum mechanics, quantum electrodynamics, quantum chromodynamics?


1.Yes,u do postulate it...
2.Sorry,poor wording:THE OBJECT/DOMAIN of quantum mechanics...
"Quantum theory" is an extremely vague term... :wink: Don't use it...


Daniel.
 
  • #26
ZapperZ said:
In all of this, there seems to be something missing here. Are you trying to develop a theory for including relativistic effects in thermodynamics? I mean, aren't you aware of the development of relativistic thermodynamics, or did you miss that completely (considering your track record of ignoring already-established theory, I wouldn't put this pass you completely). There are already tons of stuff out there on Relativistic thermodynamics[1], even a text on it![2] Are you disputing these works, or are you trying to come up with new ones?

Zz.

[1] http://lanl.arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/9803007
[2] R.C. Tolman "Relativity, Thermodynamics and Cosmology" (Dover, 1987)

First off, I am not trying to develop a theory, let me be clear on that. At this stage, I just want to know if formulas for temperature transform correctly from one frame to another using Lorentz transformations, and by correctly I mean that statements made in those frames are consistent with facts that are necessarily frame independent.

Regards,

Guru
 
  • #27
Physicsguru said:
First off, I am not trying to develop a theory, let me be clear on that. At this stage, I just want to know if formulas for temperature transform from one frame to another using Lorentz transformations, and if the conclusions are consistent with facts which are frame independent.

Regards,

Guru

Then read the book! [There appears to be COMMON theme here]

Zz.
 
  • #28
Healey01 said:
Hi all, I am slightly interested in this question so I thought I'd jump aboard.
Questions I have before further thought on this:

Are you asking what the emmitted radiation would do under Lorentzian transformation?

No, I am asking whether or not the temperature of an object T(t) transforms correctly using a Lorentz transformation.


Healey01 said:
Why does temperature have to be a function of time? Can it not be constant?

The condition for an object to have a temperature which is independent of time (i.e. constant temperature), is for its temperature to be absolute zero degrees kelvin. This is impossible, therefore temperature must be a function of time.

From experiments, we know that an object will reach thermal equilibrium with its surroundings, if left alone for a long enough time [tex]\delta t[/tex], where t is the time coordinate in the objects rest frame. Thermodynamics was designed to say that two objects placed in thermal contact will reach an equilibrium temperature... that this is the most 'probable' result. This is most interesting in the case of an object in the vacuum.

Regards,

Guru
 
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  • #29
As long as you agree that the number of particles and the total volume in a given reference frame will not change, the definition of temperature is the following:

1/T = dS/dU "one over temperature is the derivative of entropy with respect to energy".

So to solve your problem, you would first calculate entropy (the number of microstates corresponding to a given macrostate) as a function of energy, so that du/ds = T + Tcos(wt). Once you had that (physically unrealistic) entropy function, you could make relativistic corrections, and take the derivative with respect to energy to find the temperature in a given lorentz frame.
 
  • #30
Crosson said:
As long as you agree that the number of particles and the total volume in a given reference frame will not change, the definition of temperature is the following:

1/T = dS/dU "one over temperature is the derivative of entropy with respect to energy".

So to solve your problem, you would first calculate entropy (the number of microstates corresponding to a given macrostate) as a function of energy, so that du/ds = T + Tcos(wt). Once you had that (physically unrealistic) entropy function, you could make relativistic corrections, and take the derivative with respect to energy to find the temperature in a given lorentz frame.

Ok suppose that I had the entropy as a function of energy S(U). I could then take the derivative of S with respect to U, to obtain dS/dU. By definition, this is equal to the inverse of the absolute temperture T. Clearly T=0 is impossible, division by zero error. Now, invert the formula for dS/dU, to obtain dU/dS, and we have a formula for temperature (expectedly one that depends on the time coordinate t in the frame). My question started off with:

[tex]T(t) = T_e + T_0 sin(\omega t)[/tex]

Equating the expression above with dU/dS we have:

[tex]\frac{dU}{dS} = T_e + T_0 sin(\omega t)[/tex]

Now suppose I multiply both sides of the equation above by the differential of entropy, to obtain:

[tex]dU= [ T_e + T_0 sin(\omega t) ] dS[/tex]

Now, suppose that we integrate both sides of the equation above:

[tex]\int_{U_1}^{U_2} dU= \int_{S_1}^{S_2} [ T_e + T_0 sin(\omega t) ] dS[/tex]

Where U1,S1 are simultaneous values at time coordinate t=t1, and U2,S2 are simultaneous values at time coordinate t=t2. The LHS is easy enough to integrate so that we have:

[tex]U_2 - U_1 = \int_{S_1}^{S_2} [ T_e + T_0 sin(\omega t) ] dS[/tex]

But in order to integrate the RHS, i need time as a function of entropy don't I?

Regards,

Guru
 
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