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Subject: Re: Isobaric expansion
Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2000 16:26:46 -0800
From: Leigh Palmer <palmer@SFU.CA>
Equilibrium thermodynamics does fail when applied to real
thermodynamic processes, but to different degrees. Relatively slow
processes (slow compared to the relaxation time of the system) are
described very well by equilibrium thermodynamics.
One might say they are described perfectly well. If the "failures"
are not measurable in practice then they are not failures. Your
conception of ideality is that of a philosopher and not that of a
physicist.
I believe that conventionally "equilibrium" in this context implies
"thermodynamic equilibrium". I can't recall using the term "dynamic
equilibrium". What does it mean?
The term "static equilibrium", used
in mechanics, often pertains to systems in which motion is present.
It does not imply statsis, a point which must be made when teaching
the topic.