What exactly does the proposed 4th law of thermodynamics mean?

  • #1

DeathByKugelBlitz

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'Every non-equilibrium state of a system or local subsystem for which entropy is well defined must be equipped with a metric in state space with respect to which the irreversible component of its time evolution is in the direction of steepest entropy ascent compatible with the conservation constraints.'

I understand the first 4 laws but this one is new
 
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  • #2
Do you have a reference for your quote?
 
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Wow, this is fresh stuff with a lot of background research from the last 40 years. It looks like it is not a consequence of the 0th (transitivity of thermodynamic equilibrium and empiric/operational definition of temperature), 1st, 2nd and 3rd laws of thermodynamics, but an independent conclusion. I can't say more right now, I let some expert offer an explanation of its meaning and relevance.
I thank you for bringing it up.
 
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1. What is the proposed 4th law of thermodynamics?

The proposed 4th law of thermodynamics states that as a system approaches absolute zero temperature, the entropy of the system approaches a constant value, and at absolute zero, the entropy of the system is zero.

2. How does the 4th law of thermodynamics differ from the other three laws?

The first three laws of thermodynamics describe the relationships between energy, work, and heat transfer in a closed system. The 4th law specifically addresses the behavior of a system at absolute zero temperature.

3. What is the significance of the proposed 4th law?

The 4th law of thermodynamics would provide a more complete understanding of the behavior of matter at extremely low temperatures, such as in quantum systems. It also has implications for fields such as superconductivity and superfluidity.

4. Is the 4th law of thermodynamics widely accepted by the scientific community?

No, the 4th law of thermodynamics is still a proposed law and has not been universally accepted by the scientific community. It is still a topic of ongoing research and debate.

5. How does the 4th law of thermodynamics relate to the concept of disorder or entropy?

The 4th law states that at absolute zero temperature, the entropy of a system is zero. This means that at the lowest possible temperature, the system is in a state of perfect order. This is in contrast to the other laws of thermodynamics, which describe the increase of entropy in a system over time.

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