I'd like to make a quick remark, before I forget, about the fundamental equation proposed by J. Willard Gibbs. Far from being pleased with intuitive concepts alone -to which we are too keen to sometimes-, I still get the thrill any time an equation takes me into the mysteries of a natural concept. The math language -when lights up a connection in any dark corner of my brain- adds that poetic touch that "a romantic" mind needs to booze in the unknown. Quite an orgasmic feeling. Or better. Feels like love indeed. Half-way to heaven.
The fundamental equation of Gibbs is so simple and so profound at the same time, that one regains hope in the millenary yearn to have the essence of the Universe caged in a little glass ball _A sort of complete source of knowledge in which all is contained and which pundits can caress in their hands, like a witch would do, feeling invincible.
The beauty of the equation is to highlight a fundamental concept, much, much used and much elusive: the concept of energy. The state of energy of any system can be changed in many different ways, dE:
Each term of the RHS of the equation is formed by an intensive property (i.e. not dependent of the mass of the system), such as T, temperature; p, pressure; μ, chemical potential, φ, electrical potential, ψ, gravitational potential; u, velocity, a vector magnitude, etc; and by the change of an extensive property (i.e. dependent of the mass): S, entropy; V, volume; n, quantity or moles conforming the system; Q, electric charge; m, mass; p, linear momentum, etc. The larger the change of any of this properties, the larger the change of energy. However, each change is modulated by the intensive property, which acts as a sort of coefficient.
Don't know about you, but this sounds music to me. Lots of scattered pieces of knowledge, somehow disparaged, fell into place. Once again, re-discovering the Thames is the most ambitious and adventurous trip!
(PLEASE, LEAVE YOUR COMMENT).
The fundamental equation of Gibbs is so simple and so profound at the same time, that one regains hope in the millenary yearn to have the essence of the Universe caged in a little glass ball _A sort of complete source of knowledge in which all is contained and which pundits can caress in their hands, like a witch would do, feeling invincible.
The beauty of the equation is to highlight a fundamental concept, much, much used and much elusive: the concept of energy. The state of energy of any system can be changed in many different ways, dE:
dE=TdS-pdV+μdn+φdQ+u dp +ψdm+⋯
Don't know about you, but this sounds music to me. Lots of scattered pieces of knowledge, somehow disparaged, fell into place. Once again, re-discovering the Thames is the most ambitious and adventurous trip!
(PLEASE, LEAVE YOUR COMMENT).
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