Re: Temperature applied to small group of particles

[Bernard Cleyet <anngeorg@PACBELL.NET>]

A velocity selector verifies, under certain conditions, the M. -
Boltzmann distribution.

Is not a velocity selector, therefore, a thermometer.  I imagine, with
great difficulty, one could be used w/  N small.

bc, who wonders if we are logical positivists.

Brian Whatcott wrote:

> At 11:03 AM 3/10/2004, Leigh, you wrote:
>
>
> > In thermodynamics the temperature of a physical system is defined
> > *empirically* in terms of a thermometric property of a physically
> > realizable device called a *thermometer*. ....
> > Leigh
>
>
> I found this an interesting contribution. I would like to extend it
> to the wider sphere, like this:
> In science, one measures all properties of interest empirically, using
> instruments which are in principle reproducible by other
>  experimenters. It is expected that the physical property used to
> evaluate the measurement of interest  will be more or less indirect.
>
> So that Galileo's Thermoscope depends on the variation of density
> with temperature of a liquid, as compared to glass baubles made to
> float/sink in the liquid. It is understood that not all liquids vary
>  with temperature in the same way, so that one needs to guard against
>  misleading values.
>
> If I choose to rate temperatures by the behavior of a small particle,
>  then that is likely to be acceptable, if it is jointly accepted that the
> behavior in question does indeed represent the physical measurement
> more or less faithfully, in its range of application.
>
> It is never the case that a measurement is limited to one particular
>  instrumental design - this constraint is the area for industrial
> properties which are in some way specified or legislated.
>
> In my opinion, to be sure.....
>
>
> Brian Whatcott    Altus OK    Eureka!