New research questions whether memory reliably reflects reality. What if your entire past never actually…
Browsing: Thermodynamics
Thermodynamics is a branch of physics that deals with the relationships and conversions between heat and other forms of energy. It encompasses the principles governing the behavior of systems in response to changes in temperature, volume, and pressure. The field is foundational for understanding the physical properties of matter and the efficient use of energy in various systems. Thermodynamics is based on four fundamental laws: the zeroth law establishes thermal equilibrium and temperature; the first law, which is a statement of conservation of energy, explains how energy is conserved in processes; the second law addresses the direction of processes and the increase of entropy, indicating that energy quality diminishes over time; and the third law states that as temperature approaches absolute zero, the entropy of a system approaches a constant minimum. These principles have profound implications in engineering, chemistry, and biology, particularly in designing engines, refrigerators, and even understanding biological processes.
A hidden transition between two forms of liquid water may explain its most puzzling properties.…
A new JSTAT study shows how to compute the minimum energy cells use to sustain…
At the smallest scales, heat engines can do more than Carnot ever imagined. Researchers at…
Penn State scientists discovered seven new ceramics by simply removing oxygen—opening a path to materials…
Researchers have devised a new way to define thermodynamic concepts in microscopic quantum systems, where…
Researchers found that measuring a quantum clock consumes vastly more energy than the clock’s own…
Rice University researchers have taken the Universe’s temperature by measuring heat from quark-gluon plasma, a…
Scientists have upended long-held assumptions about thermal conductivity, revealing that boron arsenide crystals can conduct…
Researchers have discovered a method to surpass traditional thermodynamic limits in converting waste heat into…
For nearly two centuries, scientists believed that ice becomes slippery because pressure or friction melts…
The paper argues that the third principle of thermodynamics follows from the second principle, rather…
Researchers in Italy have successfully completed the first flight of iRonCub3. The robot lifted off…
Researchers at TU Wien and FU Berlin have, for the first time, measured what happens…
The cell model of ion-exchange membranes reveals violations of the Onsager reciprocity principle, particularly at…
A team led by UChicago Pritzker Molecular Engineering has discovered materials that defy convention, shrinking…
In a surprising twist, a graduate student at UMass Amherst discovered a strange new fluid…
Scientists are uncovering the mysteries of the Mpemba effect. The Mpemba effect, whereby hotter systems…