H-theorem
Sign in to saveIn classical statistical mechanics, the ' H-theorem', introduced by Ludwig Boltzmann in 1872, describes the tendency of the quantity H (defined below) to decrease in a nearly-ideal gas of molecules. As this quantity H was meant to represent the entropy of thermodynamics, the H-theorem was an early demonstration of the power of statistical mechanics as it claimed to derive the second law of thermodynamics—a statement about fundamentally irreversible processes—from reversible microscopic mechanics. It is thought to prove the second law of thermodynamics, albeit under the assumption of low-entrop
Article
17 sectionsContents
- Name and pronunciation
- Definition and meaning of Boltzmann's ''H''
- Boltzmann's ''H'' theorem
- Impact
- Criticism and exceptions
- Loschmidt's paradox
- Spin echo
- Poincaré recurrence
- Fluctuations of ''H'' in small systems
- Connection to information theory
- Tolman's ''H''-theorem
- Classical mechanical
- Quantum mechanical
- Gibbs' ''H''-theorem
- See also
- Notes
- References
In classical statistical mechanics, the ' H-theorem', introduced by Ludwig Boltzmann in 1872, describes the tendency of the quantity H (defined below) to decrease in a nearly-ideal gas of molecules. As this quantity H was meant to represent the entropy of thermodynamics, the H-theorem was an early demonstration of the power of statistical mechanics as it claimed to derive the second law of thermodynamics—a statement about fundamentally irreversible processes—from reversible microscopic mechanics. It is thought to prove the second law of thermodynamics, albeit under the assumption of low-entropy initial conditions.
The H-theorem is a natural consequence of the kinetic equation derived by Boltzmann that has come to be known as Boltzmann's equation. The H-theorem has led to considerable discussion about its actual implications, with major themes being: What is entropy? In what sense does Boltzmann's quantity H correspond to the thermodynamic entropy? Are the assumptions (especially the assumption of molecular chaos) behind Boltzmann's equation too strong? When are these assumptions violated?