Explanation of the Gibbs paradox within the framework of quantum thermodynamics
From MaRDI portal
Publication:2903702
DOI10.1103/PHYSREVE.73.066119zbMATH Open1244.82041arXivquant-ph/0507145OpenAlexW2067967711WikidataQ80104815 ScholiaQ80104815MaRDI QIDQ2903702FDOQ2903702
Authors: A. E. Allahverdyan, Theo M. Nieuwenhuizen 
Publication date: 12 August 2012
Published in: Physical Review E. Third Series (Search for Journal in Brave)
Abstract: The issue of the Gibbs paradox is that when considering mixing of two gases within classical thermodynamics, the entropy of mixing appears to be a discontinuous function of the difference between the gases: it is finite for whatever small difference, but vanishes for identical gases. The resolution offered in the literature, with help of quantum mixing entropy, was later shown to be unsatisfactory precisely where it sought to resolve the paradox. Macroscopic thermodynamics, classical or quantum, is unsuitable for explaining the paradox, since it does not deal explicitly with the difference between the gases. The proper approach employs quantum thermodynamics, which deals with finite quantum systems coupled to a large bath and a macroscopic work source. Within quantum thermodynamics, entropy generally looses its dominant place and the target of the paradox is naturally shifted to the decrease of the maximally available work before and after mixing (mixing ergotropy). In contrast to entropy this is an unambiguous quantity. For almost identical gases the mixing ergotropy continuously goes to zero, thus resolving the paradox. In this approach the concept of ``difference between the gases gets a clear operational meaning related to the possibilities of controlling the involved quantum states. Difficulties which prevent resolutions of the paradox in its entropic formulation do not arise here. The mixing ergotropy has several counter-intuitive features. It can increase when less precise operations are allowed. In the quantum situation (in contrast to the classical one) the mixing ergotropy can also increase when decreasing the degree of mixing between the gases, or when decreasing their distinguishability. These points go against a direct association of physical irreversibility with lack of information.
Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0507145
Recommendations
- On the so-called Gibbs paradox, and on the real paradox
- Demonstration and resolution of the Gibbs paradox of the first kind
- The Gibbs paradox and the physical criteria for indistinguishability of identical particles
- Statistics of distinguishable particles and resolution of the Gibbs paradox of the first kind
- Entropy calculation of reversible mixing of ideal gases shows absence of Gibbs paradox
Cites Work
- Inequalities: theory of majorization and its applications
- The transition probability in the state space of a \(^*\)-algebra
- Fidelity for Mixed Quantum States
- Statistical distance and the geometry of quantum states
- Quantum theory: concepts and methods
- Title not available (Why is that?)
- An Extension of Kakutani's Theorem on Infinite Product Measures to the Tensor Product of Semifinite w ∗ -Algebras
- Title not available (Why is that?)
- Control systems on Lie groups
- Thermodynamic cost of reliability and low temperatures: Tightening Landauer's principle and the second law
- A mathematical theorem as the basis for the second law: Thomson's formulation applied to equilibrium
- Non-equilibrium entropy and irreversibility
- Quantum thermodynamics: Thermodynamics at the nanoscale
- Mathematical techniques for quantum communication theory
- From microphysics to macrophysics. Methods and applications of statistical physics. Vol. I. Translated from the French by D. ter Haar and J. F. Gregg.
- Note on a Problem Concerning the Gibbs Paradox
Cited In (7)
- Entropy calculation of reversible mixing of ideal gases shows absence of Gibbs paradox
- The time-identity tradeoff
- Demonstration and resolution of the Gibbs paradox of the first kind
- Quantum thermodynamics with missing reference frames: decompositions of free energy into non-increasing components
- Colloquium: The physics of Maxwell's demon and information
- Understanding quantum measurement from the solution of dynamical models
- Entropy of mixing exists only for classical and quantum-like theories among the regular polygon theories
This page was built for publication: Explanation of the Gibbs paradox within the framework of quantum thermodynamics
Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q2903702)
