2023/02/23 by Amilcare Porporato, Lamberto Rondoni, Porporato, Amilcare +1
Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics #FOS: Physical sciences #Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications #Mechanical and Optical Resonators #Statistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2302.13981
openalex publication_date 2023/02/23 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
For 1D Hamiltonian systems with periodic solutions, Helmholtz formalism provides a tantalizing interpretation of classical thermodynamics, based on time integrals of purely mechanical quantities and without need of statistical description. Here we extend this approach to include heat flux and pressure at the walls, thereby enabling it to describe actual thermodynamic transformations, such as isothermal compressions and expansions. The presence of hard walls, which gives rise to non zero pressure, is justified by means of the virial theorem, while the heat fluxes are introduced as quasi-static limits of suitably thermostatted Hamiltonians. Particular attention is paid to generalizing the minimalist cases of the harmonic oscillator and elastic bouncer, which afford clear physical interpretations. With such extensions, a complete picture of thermodynamics emerges, amenable to cyclic transformations capable of producing mechanical work from heat, like the Carnot cycle.