Re: Thermal Energy

[John Mallinckrodt <ajmallinckro@CSUPOMONA.EDU>]

I wrote:

> Rotational KE is somewhat unique in the following sense:
> Barring external interactions the angular momentum of the
> system will be conserved and it will not be possible to
> thermalize the rotational energy.  In this regard, it is more
> like translational KE which is subject to the dictates of
> linear momentum conservation.  On the other hand, no external
> interactions are required to thermalize the vibrational modes.

I should have mentioned as well that the status of rotational KE
would truly be identical to that of translational KE if there were
not a preferred rotational frame of reference.  But unlike the
case for translation, there *is* an absolute rest frame for
rotation.  As a result, we *can* determine absolute rotational
properties of a system, including rotational KE.

John Mallinckrodt      mailto:ajm@csupomona.edu
Cal Poly Pomona          http://www.csupomona.edu/~ajm