Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: Explanation of def. 4 of Q (long)



John M wrote:

(Actually, I think any reasonably practical model of the inner
wall of his toroidal box *would* end up coupling the rotational
energy to the other modes and would, as a result, change the
occupation numbers of those modes, the temperature, and the
entropy of the gas. Thus, I would classify the energy change as
heat. But this is all beside the point.)

I am very interested in understanding different viewpoints. Please
clarify for me two questions:

1. You refer to an "energy change" above. Does this mean you do not
necessarily consider heat to be an "energy transfer" from one system
to another? It can be a thermalization process entirely internal to a
system?

2. Yes or no: Is "pure irreversible work" a self-contradiction? If
any entropy change is associated with heat, then an irreversible
energy transfer can never be solely work. Therefore turbulent paddle
wheels, sliding friction, etc can never be pure work. Do you agree or
disagree?

David B may also answer if he is inclined. I am getting the sinking
feeling that no one agrees with defn 1 of heat, despite the fact that
it's in most textbooks.
--
Carl E. Mungan, Asst. Prof. of Physics 410-293-6680 (O) -3729 (F)
U.S. Naval Academy, Stop 9C, Annapolis, MD 21402-5026
mungan@usna.edu http://physics.usna.edu/physics/faculty/mungan/