Thermal fluctuations refer to the random changes in temperature that can lead to particles overcoming energy barriers. In the context of thermally fluctuating over an energy barrier, it specifically describes how particles, such as water molecules, gain sufficient energy through random collisions to escape attractive forces, exemplified by the evaporation of water below its boiling point. This phenomenon illustrates the critical role of energy distribution among particles in enabling transitions that would otherwise be energetically unfavorable.
PREREQUISITESStudents and professionals in physics, chemistry, and materials science, particularly those interested in thermodynamics and molecular behavior in various states of matter.