Re: Thermal Energy - thermalization of rotational energy

[Vern Lindberg <vwlsps@RITVAX.ISC.RIT.EDU>]

>  >I would venture that that energy of a system be considered to have been
> > thermalized when its distribution over all possible modes/levels is strictly
> > determined by the temperature of the system (eg: for quadratic functions of
> > x/p, through the [quantum mechanically modified] equipartition principle).
> > Then thermal energy is that energy which has been thermalized.
>
> OK, but  usually  the term used  is "relaxation time" -- Why invent a new
> term which will further confuse both us and our students.?
>
> Further, classical thermodynamics concerns only systems which have
> "relaxed" and the corresponding energy is usually called "internal energy"
> -- why invent a new term?
>
> Jim Green
> mailto:JMGreen@sisna.com
> http://users.sisna.com/jmgreen

It is not a new term. Think of thermalized neutrons. I've never heard
of them called relaxed neutrons!
--
Dr. Vern Lindberg   New Area Code Nov 15 585-   716-475-2546
Department of Physics           Fax 475-5766
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Rochester Institute of Technology
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