Thermodynamic temperature is the absolute measure of temperature and is one of the principal parameters of thermodynamics. Temperature is a physical property of a system that underlies the common notions of hot and cold something that is hotter generally has the greater temperature In Physics, thermodynamics (from the Greek θερμη therme meaning " Heat " and δυναμις dynamis meaning " Thermodynamic temperature is an “absolute” scale because it is the measure of the fundamental property underlying temperature: its null or zero point, absolute zero, is the temperature at which the particle constituents of matter have minimal motion and can be no colder. Absolute zero is the point at which molecules do not move (relative to the rest of the body more than they are required to by a quantum mechanical effect called Zero-point


Temperature arises from the random submicroscopic vibrations of the particle constituents of matter. Matter is commonly defined as being anything that has mass and that takes up space. These motions comprise the kinetic energy in a substance. The kinetic energy of an object is the extra Energy which it possesses due to its motion In Physics and other Sciences energy (from the Greek grc ἐνέργεια - Energeia, "activity operation" from grc ἐνεργός More specifically, the thermodynamic temperature of any bulk quantity of matter is the measure of the average kinetic energy of a certain kind of vibrational motion of its constituent particles called translational motions. Translational motions are ordinary, whole-body movements in three-dimensional space whereby particles move about and exchange energy in collisions. Three-dimensional space is a geometric model of the physical Universe in which we live Fig. 1 at right shows translational motion in gases; Fig. 4 below shows translational motion in solids. Thermodynamic temperature’s null point, absolute zero, is the temperature at which the particle constituents of matter are as close as possible to complete rest; that is, they have minimal motion, retaining only quantum mechanical motion. See also Null for use in computing and other fields In Mathematics, the word null (from German null, which is from Quantum mechanics is the study of mechanical systems whose dimensions are close to the Atomic scale such as Molecules Atoms Electrons [1] Zero kinetic energy remains in a substance at absolute zero (see Heat energy at absolute zero, below). Thermodynamic temperature is the absolute measure of Temperature and is one of the principal parameters of Thermodynamics.
Throughout the scientific world where measurements are made in SI units, thermodynamic temperature is measured in kelvins (symbol: K). The kelvin (symbol K) is a unit increment of Temperature and is one of the seven SI base units The Kelvin scale is a thermodynamic Many engineering fields in the U.S. however, measure thermodynamic temperature using the Rankine scale. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Rankine is a thermodynamic (absolute temperature scale named after the Scottish Engineer and Physicist William John Macquorn Rankine
By international agreement, the unit “kelvin” and its scale are defined by two points: absolute zero, and the triple point of Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water (water with a specified blend of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes). In Thermodynamics, the triple point of a substance is the Temperature and Pressure at which three phases (for example Gas, Liquid VSMOW, or Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water, is an isotopic water standard defined in 1968 by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Absolute zero—the coldest possible temperature—is defined as being precisely 0 K and −273. 15 °C. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. The triple point of water is defined as being precisely 273. 16 K and 0. 01 °C. This definition does three things:
Temperatures expressed in kelvins are converted to degrees Rankine simply by multiplying by 1. 8 as follows: TK × 1. 8 = T°R, where TK and T°R are temperatures in kelvins and degrees Rankine respectively. Temperatures expressed in Rankine are converted to kelvins by dividing by 1. 8 as follows: T°R ÷ 1. 8 = TK.
The full range of the thermodynamic temperature scale and some notable points along it are shown in the table below.
| kelvin | Celsius | Peak emittance wavelength [2] of black-body photons | |
| Absolute zero (precisely by definition) | 0 K | −273. In Physics wavelength is the distance between repeating units of a propagating Wave of a given Frequency. Absolute zero is the point at which molecules do not move (relative to the rest of the body more than they are required to by a quantum mechanical effect called Zero-point 15 °C | ∞ [1] |
| Coldest measured temperature [3] | 450 pK | –273. Infinity (symbolically represented with ∞) comes from the Latin infinitas or "unboundedness The kelvin (symbol K) is a unit increment of Temperature and is one of the seven SI base units The Kelvin scale is a thermodynamic 14999999955 °C | 6,400 kilometers |
| One millikelvin (precisely by definition) | 0. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand The kelvin (symbol K) is a unit increment of Temperature and is one of the seven SI base units The Kelvin scale is a thermodynamic 001 K | −273. 149 °C | 2. 897 77 meters (Radio, FM band) [4] |
| Water’s triple point (precisely by definition) | 273. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International See also Frequency modulation, FM band FM broadcasting is a broadcast Technology invented by Edwin Howard Armstrong that VSMOW, or Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water, is an isotopic water standard defined in 1968 by the International Atomic Energy Agency. In Thermodynamics, the triple point of a substance is the Temperature and Pressure at which three phases (for example Gas, Liquid 16 K | 0. 01 °C | 10,608. 3 nm (Long wavelength I.R.) |
| Water’s boiling point A | 373. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International Infrared ( IR) radiation is Electromagnetic radiation whose Wavelength is longer than that of Visible light, but shorter than that of The boiling point of a liquid is the temperature at which the Vapor pressure of the liquid equals the environmental pressure surrounding the liquid 1339 K | 99. 9839 °C | 7766. 03 nm (Mid wavelength I. R. ) |
| Incandescent lampB | 2500 K | ≈2200 °C | 1160 nm (Near infrared)C |
| Sun’s visible surfaceD [5] | 5778 K | 5505 °C | 501. The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe is a source of electric Light that works by Incandescence, (a general Infrared ( IR) radiation is Electromagnetic radiation whose Wavelength is longer than that of Visible light, but shorter than that of The Sun (Sol is the Star at the center of the Solar System. 5 nm (Green-Blue light) |
| Lightning bolt’s channel E | 28,000 K | 28,000 °C | 100 nm (Far Ultraviolet light) |
| Sun’s core E | 16 MK | 16 million °C | 0. Lightning is an atmospheric discharge of Electricity, which typically occurs during Thunderstorms and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or Ultraviolet ( UV) light is Electromagnetic radiation with a Wavelength shorter than that of Visible light, but longer than X-rays The Sun (Sol is the Star at the center of the Solar System. The kelvin (symbol K) is a unit increment of Temperature and is one of the seven SI base units The Kelvin scale is a thermodynamic 18 nm (X-rays) |
| Thermonuclear weapon (peak temperature)E [6] | 350 MK | 350 million °C | 8. X-radiation (composed of X-rays) is a form of Electromagnetic radiation. A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from Nuclear reactions either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. 3 × 10−3 nm (Gamma rays) |
| Sandia National Labs’ Z machine E [7] | 2 GK | 2 billion °C | 1. Gamma rays (denoted as &gamma) are a form of Electromagnetic radiation or light emission of frequencies produced by sub-atomic particle interactions The Z machine is the largest X-ray generator in the world and is designed to test materials in conditions of extreme temperature and pressure The kelvin (symbol K) is a unit increment of Temperature and is one of the seven SI base units The Kelvin scale is a thermodynamic 4 × 10−3 nm (Gamma rays)F |
| Core of a high–mass star on its last day E [8] | 3 GK | 3 billion °C | 1 × 10−3 nm (Gamma rays) |
| Merging binary neutron star system E [9] | 350 GK | 350 billion °C | 8 × 10−6 nm (Gamma rays) |
| Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider E [10] | 1 TK | 1 trillion °C | 3 × 10−6 nm (Gamma rays) |
| CERN’s proton vs. In Astrophysics, Silicon burning is a two week sequence of Nuclear fusion reactions that occur in massive Stars with a minimum of about 8–11 A neutron star is a type of remnant that can result from the Gravitational collapse of a massive Star during a Type II, Type Ib or Type The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC pronounced like " Rick " ˈrɪk is a heavy- Ion Collider located at and operated by Brookhaven The kelvin (symbol K) is a unit increment of Temperature and is one of the seven SI base units The Kelvin scale is a thermodynamic The European Organization for Nuclear Research (Organisation Européenne pour la Recherche Nucléaire known as CERN nucleus collisions E [11] | 10 TK | 10 trillion °C | 3 × 10−7 nm (Gamma rays) |
| Universe 5.391 × 10−44 s after the Big Bang E | 1.417 × 1032 K | 1. In Physics, the Planck time ( tP) is the unit of Time in the system of Natural units known as Planck units. The Big Bang is the cosmological model of the Universe that is best supported by all lines of scientific evidence and Observation. The Planck temperature, named after German Physicist Max Planck, is the unit of Temperature, denoted by TP in the system of 417 × 1032 °C | 1.616 × 10−26 nm (Planck frequency) [12] |
A For Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water at one standard atmosphere (101. The Planck length, denoted by \scriptstyle\ell_P \, is the unit of Length approximately 1 VSMOW, or Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water, is an isotopic water standard defined in 1968 by the International Atomic Energy Agency. 325 kPa) when calibrated strictly per the two-point definition of thermodynamic temperature.
B The 2500 K value is approximate. The 273. 15 K difference between K and °C is rounded to 300 K to avoid false precision in the Celsius value. False precision occurs when numerical data are presented in a manner that implies better precision than is actually the case since precision is a limit to accuracy this often
C For a true blackbody (which tungsten filaments are not). Tungsten filaments’ emissivity is greater at shorter wavelengths, which makes them appear whiter.
D Effective photosphere temperature. The 273. 15 K difference between K and °C is rounded to 273 K to avoid false precision in the Celsius value.
E The 273. 15 K difference between K and °C is ignored to avoid false precision in the Celsius value.
F For a true blackbody (which the plasma was not). The Z machine’s dominant emission originated from 40 MK electrons (soft x–ray emissions) within the plasma.
At its simplest, “temperature” arises from the kinetic energy of the vibrational motions of matter’s particle constituents (molecules, atoms, and subatomic particles). The kinetic energy of an object is the extra Energy which it possesses due to its motion Matter is commonly defined as being anything that has mass and that takes up space. In Chemistry, a molecule is defined as a sufficiently stable electrically neutral group of at least two Atoms in a definite arrangement held together by History See also Atomic theory, Atomism The concept that matter is composed of discrete units and cannot be divided into arbitrarily tiny A subatomic particle is an elementary or composite Particle smaller than an Atom. The full variety of these kinetic motions contribute to the total heat energy in a substance. In Physics, heat, symbolized by Q, is Energy transferred from one body or system to another due to a difference in Temperature The relationship of kinetic energy, mass, and velocity is given by the formula Ek = 1⁄2m • v 2. [13] Accordingly, particles with one unit of mass moving at one unit of velocity have precisely the same kinetic energy—and precisely the same temperature—as those with four times the mass but half the velocity.
The thermodynamic temperature of any bulk quantity of a substance (a statistically significant quantity of particles) is directly proportional to the average—or “mean”—kinetic energy of a specific kind of particle motion known as translational motion. These simple movements in the three x, y, and z–axis dimensions of space means the particles move in the three spatial degrees of freedom. For information on degrees of freedom in other sciences see Degrees of freedom. This particular form of kinetic energy is sometimes referred to as kinetic temperature. Translational motion is but one form of heat energy and is what gives gases not only their temperature, but also their pressure and the vast majority of their volume. This relationship between the temperature, pressure, and volume of gases is established by the ideal gas law’s formula pV = nRT and is embodied in the gas laws. The ideal gas law is the Equation of state of a hypothetical Ideal gas, first stated by Benoît Paul Émile Clapeyron in 1834 This articles outlines the historical development of the laws describing ideal gases
The extent to which the kinetic energy of translational motion of an individual atom or molecule (particle) in a gas contributes to the pressure and volume of that gas is a proportional function of thermodynamic temperature as established by the Boltzmann constant (symbol: kB). Bridge from macroscopic to microscopic physics Boltzmann's constant k is a bridge between Macroscopic and microscopic physics The Boltzmann constant also relates the thermodynamic temperature of a gas to the mean kinetic energy of an individual particle’s translational motion as follows:
While the Boltzmann constant is useful for finding the mean kinetic energy of a particle, it’s important to note that even when a substance is isolated and in thermodynamic equilibrium (all parts are at a uniform temperature and no heat is going into or out of it), the translational motions of individual atoms and molecules occurs across a wide range of speeds (see animation in Fig. 1 above). In Thermodynamics, a thermodynamic system is said to be in thermodynamic equilibrium when it is in thermal equilibrium Mechanical equilibrium, and At any one instant, the proportion of particles moving at a given speed within this range is determined by probability as described by the Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution. The Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution is a Probability distribution with applications in Physics and Chemistry. The graph shown here in Fig. 2 shows the speed distribution of 5500 K helium atoms. They have a most probable speed of 4. 780 km/s (0. 2092 s/km). However, a certain proportion of atoms at any given instant are moving faster while others are moving relatively slowly; some are momentarily at a virtual standstill (off the x–axis to the right). This graph uses inverse speed for its x–axis so the shape of the curve can easily be compared to the curves in Fig. 5 below. In both graphs, zero on the x–axis represents infinite temperature. Additionally, the x and y–axis on both graphs are scaled proportionally.
Although very specialized laboratory equipment is required to directly detect translational motions, the resultant collisions by atoms or molecules with small particles suspended in a fluid produces Brownian motion that can be seen with an ordinary microscope. FLUID ( F ast L ight '''U'''ser '''I'''nterface D esigner is a graphical editor that is used to produce FLTK Source code This article is about the physical phenomenon for the stochastic process see Wiener process. The translational motions of elementary particles are very fast[14] and temperatures close to absolute zero are required to directly observe them. Absolute zero is the point at which molecules do not move (relative to the rest of the body more than they are required to by a quantum mechanical effect called Zero-point For instance, when scientists at the NIST achieved a record-setting cold temperature of 700 nK (billionths of a kelvin) in 1994, they used optical lattice laser equipment to adiabatically cool caesium atoms. optical lattice is formed by the Interference of counterpropagating Laser beams which creates a periodic (in space intensity pattern This article covers adiabatic processes in Thermodynamics. For adiabatic processes in Quantum mechanics, see Adiabatic process (quantum mechanics Caesium or cesium (ˈsiːziəm is the Chemical element with the symbol Cs and Atomic number 55 They then turned off the entrapment lasers and directly measured atom velocities of 7 mm per second to in order to calculate their temperature. [15] Formulas for calculating the velocity and speed of translational motion are given in the following footnote. [16]
There are other forms of heat energy besides the kinetic energy of translational motion. As can be seen in the animation at right, molecules are complex objects; they are a population of atoms and thermal agitation can strain their internal chemical bonds in three different ways: via rotation, bond length, and bond angle movements. In Chemistry, a molecule is defined as a sufficiently stable electrically neutral group of at least two Atoms in a definite arrangement held together by A chemical bond is the physical process responsible for the attractive interactions between Atoms and Molecules and which confers stability to diatomic and polyatomic These are all types of internal degrees of freedom. This makes molecules distinct from monatomic substances (consisting of individual atoms) like the noble gases helium and argon, which have only the three translational degrees of freedom. In Physics and Chemistry, monatomic is a combination of the words "mono" and "atomic" and means "single Atom. History Noble gas is translated from the German noun de ''Edelgas'' first used in 1898 by Hugo Erdmann to indicate their extremely low level of reactivity Helium ( He) is a colorless odorless tasteless non-toxic Inert Monatomic Chemical This article pertains to the chemical element For other uses see Argon (disambiguation. Kinetic energy is stored in molecules’ internal degrees of freedom, which gives them an internal temperature. Even though these motions are called “internal,” the external portions of molecules still move—rather like the jiggling of a stationary water balloon. A water balloon, or water bomb is a simple small Latex rubber Balloon filled with Water. This permits the two-way exchange of kinetic energy between internal motions and translational motions with each molecular collision. Accordingly, as heat is removed from molecules, both their kinetic temperature (the kinetic energy of translational motion) and their internal temperature simultaneously diminish in equal proportions. This phenomenon is described by the equipartition theorem, which states that for any bulk quantity of a substance in equilibrium, the kinetic energy of particle motion is evenly distributed among all the active degrees of freedom available to the particles. In classical Statistical mechanics, the equipartition theorem is a general formula that relates the Temperature of a system with its average energies Since the internal temperature of molecules are usually equal to their kinetic temperature, the distinction is usually of interest only in the detailed study of non- local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) phenomena such as combustion, the sublimation of solids, and the diffusion of hot gases in a partial vacuum. In Thermodynamics, a thermodynamic system is said to be in thermodynamic equilibrium when it is in thermal equilibrium Mechanical equilibrium, and Combustion or burning is a complex sequence of Exothermic chemical reactions between a Fuel and an Oxidant accompanied by the production of Sublimation of an element or compound is a transition from the Solid to Gas phase with no intermediate liquid stage Diffusion is the net movement of particles (typically molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration by uncoordinated random movement
The kinetic energy stored internally in molecules allows a substance to contain more heat energy at a given temperature (and in the case of gases, at a given pressure and volume), and to absorb more of it for a given temperature increase. This is because any kinetic energy that is, at a given instant, bound in internal motions is not at that same instant contributing to the molecules’ translational motions. [17] This extra kinetic energy simply increases the amount of heat energy a substance absorbs for a given temperature rise. This property is known as a substance’s specific heat capacity. Specific heat capacity, also known simply as specific heat, is the measure of the heat energy required to increase the Temperature of a unit quantity
Different molecules absorb different amounts of heat energy for each incremental increase in temperature; that is, they have different specific heat capacities. High specific heat capacity arises, in part, because certain substances’ molecules possess more internal degrees of freedom than others do. For instance, room-temperature nitrogen, which is a diatomic molecule, has five active degrees of freedom: the three comprising translational motion plus two rotational degrees of freedom internally. Nitrogen (ˈnaɪtɹəʤɪn is a Chemical element that has the symbol N and Atomic number 7 and Atomic weight 14 Diatomic molecules are molecules made only of two Atoms of either the same or different Chemical elements The prefix di- means two in Greek Not surprisingly, in accordance with the equipartition theorem, nitrogen has five-thirds the specific heat capacity per mole (a specific number of molecules) as do the monatomic gases. The mole (symbol mol) is a unit of Amount of substance: it is an SI base unit, and almost the only unit to be used to measure this [18] Another example is gasoline (see table showing its specific heat capacity). Specific heat capacity, also known simply as specific heat, is the measure of the heat energy required to increase the Temperature of a unit quantity Gasoline can absorb a large amount of heat energy per mole with only a modest temperature change because each molecule comprises an average of 21 atoms and therefore has many internal degrees of freedom. Even larger, more complex molecules can have dozens of internal degrees of freedom.
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Heat conduction is the diffusion of heat energy from hot parts of a system to cold. Heat conduction or thermal conduction is the spontaneous transfer of thermal energy through matter from a region of higher Temperature to a region of lower A “system” can be either a single bulk entity or a plurality of discrete bulk entities. The term “bulk” in this context means a statistically significant quantity of particles (which can be a microscopic amount). Whenever heat energy diffuses within an isolated system, temperature differences within the system decrease (and entropy increases). In Thermodynamics (a branch of Physics) entropy, symbolized by S, is a measure of the unavailability of a system ’s Energy
One particular heat conduction mechanism occurs when translational motion—the particle motion underlying temperature—transfers momentum from particle to particle in collisions. In Classical mechanics, momentum ( pl momenta SI unit kg · m/s, or equivalently N · s) is the product In gases, these translational motions are of the nature shown above in Fig. 1. As can be seen in that animation, not only does momentum (heat) diffuse throughout the volume of the gas through serial collisions, but entire molecules or atoms can advance forward into new territory, bringing their kinetic energy with them. Consequently, temperature differences equalize throughout gases very quickly—especially for light atoms or molecules; convection speeds this process even more. Convective heat transfer is a mechanism of Heat transfer occurring because of bulk motion (observable movement of fluids [19]
Translational motion in solids however, takes the form of phonons (see Fig. In Physics, a phonon is a quantized mode of vibration occurring in a rigid crystal lattice, such as the Atomic lattice of a Solid 4 at right). Phonons are constrained, quantized wave packets traveling at the speed of sound for a given substance. The manner in which phonons interact within a solid determines a variety of its properties, including its thermal conductivity. In electrically insulating solids, phonon-based heat conduction is usually inefficient[20] and such solids are considered thermal insulators (such as glass, plastic, rubber, ceramic, and rock). This is because in solids, atoms and molecules are locked into place relative to their neighbors and are not free to roam.
Metals however, are not restricted to only phonon-based heat conduction. The M acro E xpansion T emplate A ttribute L anguage complements TAL, providing macros which allow the reuse of code across Heat energy conducts through metals extraordinarily quickly because instead of direct molecule-to-molecule collisions, the vast majority of heat energy is mediated via very light, mobile conduction electrons. The electron is a fundamental Subatomic particle that was identified and assigned the negative charge in 1897 by J This is why there is a near-perfect correlation between metals’ thermal conductivity and their electrical conductivity. In Physics, thermal conductivity, k is the property of a material that indicates its ability to conduct Heat. Electrical conductivity or specific conductivity is a measure of a material's ability to conduct an Electric current. [21] Conduction electrons imbue metals with their extraordinary conductivity because they are delocalized, i. In chemistry delocalized electrons are Electrons in a Molecule that are not associated with a single Atom or to a Covalent bond. e. not tied to a specific atom, and behave rather like a sort of “quantum gas” due to the effects of zero-point energy (for more on ZPE, see Note 1 below). In Physics, the zero-point energy is the lowest possible Energy that a Quantum mechanical Physical system may possess and is the energy of the Furthermore, electrons are relatively light with a rest mass only 1⁄1836th that of a proton. The proton ( Greek πρῶτον / proton "first" is a Subatomic particle with an Electric charge of one positive This is about the same ratio as a .22 Short bullet (29 grains or 1. In many cultures a grain is a unit of measurement of Mass that is based upon the mass of a single seed of a typical Cereal. 88 g) compared to the rifle that shoots it. For other uses of the words gram or gramme see Gram (disambiguation. As Isaac Newton wrote with his third law of motion,
However, a bullet accelerates faster than a rifle given an equal force. Since kinetic energy increases as the square of velocity, nearly all the kinetic energy goes into the bullet, not the rifle, even though both experience the same force from the expanding propellant gases. In the same manner—because they are much less massive—heat energy is readily borne by mobile conduction electrons. Additionally, because they’re delocalized and very fast, kinetic heat energy conducts extremely quickly through metals with abundant conduction electrons.
Thermal radiation is a byproduct of the collisions arising from atoms’ various vibrational motions. Thermal radiation is Electromagnetic radiation emitted from the surface of an object which is due to the object's Temperature. These collisions cause the atoms’ electrons to emit thermal photons (known as black-body radiation). In Physics, the photon is the Elementary particle responsible for electromagnetic phenomena In Physics, a black body is an object that absorbs all light that falls on it Photons are emitted anytime an electric charge is accelerated (as happens when two atoms’ electron clouds collide). Even individual molecules with internal temperatures greater than absolute zero also emit black-body radiation from their atoms. In any bulk quantity of a substance at equilibrium, black-body photons are emitted across a range of wavelengths in a spectrum that has a bell curve-like shape called a Planck curve (see graph in Fig. In Physics wavelength is the distance between repeating units of a propagating Wave of a given Frequency. For a general introduction see Black body. In Physics, Planck's law describes the spectral radiance of Electromagnetic radiation 5 at right). The top of a Planck curve—the peak emittance wavelength—is located in particular part of the electromagnetic spectrum depending on the temperature of the black body. The electromagnetic (EM spectrum is the range of all possible Electromagnetic radiation frequencies Substances at extreme cryogenic temperatures emit at long radio wavelengths whereas extremely hot temperatures produce short gamma rays (see Table of thermodynamic temperatures, above). Cryogenics is often used incorrectly to refer to Cryonics, cryopreserving humans or animals Gamma rays (denoted as &gamma) are a form of Electromagnetic radiation or light emission of frequencies produced by sub-atomic particle interactions
Black-body radiation diffuses heat energy throughout a substance as the photons are absorbed by neighboring atoms, transferring momentum in the process. Black-body photons also easily escape from a substance and can be absorbed by the ambient environment; kinetic energy is lost in the process.
As established by the Stefan–Boltzmann law, the intensity of black-body radiation increases as the fourth power of absolute temperature. The Stefan–Boltzmann law, also known as Stefan's law, states that the total Energy radiated per unit surface Area of a Black body in unit Thus, a black body at 824 K (just short of glowing dull red) emits 60 times the radiant power as it does at 296 K (room temperature). In Physics, power (symbol P) is the rate at which work is performed or energy is transmitted or the amount of energy required or expended for This is why one can so easily feel the radiant heat from hot objects at a distance. At higher temperatures, such as those found in an incandescent lamp, black-body radiation can be the principal mechanism by which heat energy escapes a system. The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe is a source of electric Light that works by Incandescence, (a general
The kinetic energy of particle motion is just one contributor to the total heat energy in a substance; another is phase transitions, which are the potential energy of molecular bonds that can form in a substance as it cools (such as during condensing and freezing). In Thermodynamics, phase transition or phase change is the transformation of a thermodynamic system from one phase to another Potential energy can be thought of as Energy stored within a physical system Condensation is the change of the physical state of aggregation (or simply state of matter from gaseous phase into liquid phase For freezing as a method of food preservation see Frozen food. The heat energy required for a phase transition is called latent heat. In Thermochemistry, latent heat is the amount of Energy in the form of Heat released or absorbed by a substance during a change of phase This phenomenon may more easily be grasped by considering it in the reverse direction: latent heat is the energy required to break chemical bonds (such as during evaporation and melting). A chemical bond is the physical process responsible for the attractive interactions between Atoms and Molecules and which confers stability to diatomic and polyatomic Evaporation is the process by which Molecules in a Liquid state (e Melting is a process that results in the phase change of a substance from a Solid to a Liquid. Most everyone is familiar with the effects of phase transitions; for instance, steam at 100 °C can cause severe burns much faster than the 100 °C air from a hair dryer. Uses A Steam engine uses the expansion of steam in order to drive a Piston or Turbine to perform Mechanical work. A blowdryer or hairdryer is an Electromechanical device designed to blow cool or hot Air over wet or damp Hair, in order to accelerate the This occurs because a large amount of latent heat is liberated as steam condenses into liquid water on the skin.
Even though heat energy is liberated or absorbed during phase transitions, pure chemical elements, compounds, and eutectic alloys exhibit no temperature change whatsoever while they undergo them (see Fig. A chemical element is a type of Atom that is distinguished by its Atomic number; that is by the number of Protons in its nucleus. A chemical compound is a substance consisting of two or more different elements chemically bonded together in a fixed proportion by Mass. An alloy is a Solid solution or Homogeneous mixture of two or more elements, at least one of which is a Metal, which itself has 7, below right). Consider one particular type of phase transition: melting. When a solid is melting, crystal lattice chemical bonds are being broken apart; the substance is transitioning from what is known as a more ordered state to a less ordered state. In Mineralogy and Crystallography, a crystal structure is a unique arrangement of Atoms in a Crystal. A chemical bond is the physical process responsible for the attractive interactions between Atoms and Molecules and which confers stability to diatomic and polyatomic In Fig. 7, the melting of ice is shown within the lower left box heading from blue to green.
At one specific thermodynamic point, the melting point (which is 0 °C across a wide pressure range in the case of water), all the atoms or molecules are—on average—at the maximum energy threshold their chemical bonds can withstand without breaking away from the lattice. The melting point of a solid is the temperature range at which it changes state from solid to Liquid. Chemical bonds are quantized forces: they either hold fast, or break; there is no in-between state. In Physics, quantization is a procedure for constructing a Quantum field theory starting from a classical field theory. Consequently, when a substance is at its melting point, every joule of added heat energy only breaks the bonds of a specific quantity of its atoms or molecules,[22] converting them into a liquid of precisely the same temperature; no kinetic energy is added to translational motion (which is what gives substances their temperature). The joule (written in lower case ˈdʒuːl or /ˈdʒaʊl/ (symbol J) is the SI unit of Energy measuring heat, Electricity The effect is rather like popcorn: at a certain temperature, additional heat energy can’t make the kernels any hotter until the transition (popping) is complete. Popcorn or popping corn is a type of corn which explodes from the kernel and puffs up when heated If the process is reversed (as in the freezing of a liquid), heat energy must be removed from a substance.
As stated above, the heat energy required for a phase transition is called latent heat. In the specific cases of melting and freezing, it’s called enthalpy of fusion or heat of fusion. The standard Enthalpy of fusion (symbol \Delta{}H_{fus} also known as the heat of fusion or specific melting heat, is the amount of If the molecular bonds in a crystal lattice are strong, the heat of fusion can be relatively great, typically in the range of 6 to 30 kJ per mole for water and most of the metallic elements. [23] If the substance is one of the monatomic gases, (which have little tendency to form molecular bonds) the heat of fusion is more modest, ranging from 0. 021 to 2. 3 kJ per mole. [24] Relatively speaking, phase transitions can be truly energetic events. To completely melt ice at 0 °C into water at 0 °C, one must add roughly 80 times the heat energy as is required to increase the temperature of the same mass of liquid water by one degree Celsius. The metals’ ratios are even greater, typically in the range of 400 to 1200 times. [25] And the phase transition of boiling is much more energetic than freezing. Boiling (also called ebullition) a type of Phase transition, is the rapid vaporization of a Liquid, which typically occurs when a liquid For instance, the energy required to completely boil or vaporize water (what is known as enthalpy of vaporization) is roughly 540 times that required for a one-degree increase. The enthalpy of vaporization, (symbol \Delta{}_{v}H also known as the heat of vaporization or heat of evaporation, is the Energy required [26]
Water’s sizable enthalpy of vaporization is why one’s skin can be burned so quickly as steam condenses on it (heading from red to green in Fig. 7 above). In the opposite direction, this is why one’s skin feels cool as liquid water on it evaporates (a process that occurs at a sub-ambient wet-bulb temperature that is dependent on relative humidity). The wet-bulb temperature is a type of Temperature measurement that reflects the physical properties of a system with a mixture of a Gas and a Relative humidity is a measurement of the amount of Water vapor that exists in a gaseous mixture of air and water Water’s highly energetic enthalpy of vaporization is also an important factor underlying why “solar pool covers” (floating, insulated blankets that cover swimming pools when not in use) are so effective at reducing heating costs: they prevent evaporation. A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is an artificially enclosed Body of water intended for Swimming or For instance, the evaporation of just 20 mm of water from a 1. 29-meter-deep pool chills its water 8. 4 degrees Celsius.
The total kinetic energy of all particle motion—including that of conduction electrons—plus the potential energy of phase changes, plus zero-point energy[1] comprise the internal energy of a substance, which is its total heat energy. In Thermodynamics, the internal energy of a Thermodynamic system, or a body with well-defined boundaries, denoted by  U, or sometimes  The term internal energy mustn’t be confused with internal degrees of freedom. Whereas the internal degrees of freedom of molecules refers to one particular place where kinetic energy is bound, the internal energy of a substance comprises all forms of heat energy.
As a substance cools, different forms of heat energy and their related effects simultaneously decrease in magnitude: the latent heat of available phase transitions are liberated as a substance changes from a less ordered state to a more ordered state; the translational motions of atoms and molecules diminish (their kinetic temperature decreases); the internal motions of molecules diminish (their internal temperature decreases); conduction electrons (if the substance is an electrical conductor) travel somewhat slower;[27] and black-body radiation’s peak emittance wavelength increases (the photons’ energy decreases). When the particles of a substance are as close as possible to complete rest and retain only ZPE-induced quantum mechanical motion, the substance is at the temperature of absolute zero (T=0).
Note that whereas absolute zero is the point of zero thermodynamic temperature and is also the point at which the particle constituents of matter have minimal motion, absolute zero is not necessarily the point at which a substance contains zero heat energy; one must be very precise with what one means by “heat energy. ” Often, all the phase changes that can occur in a substance, will have occurred by the time it reaches absolute zero. However, this is not always the case. Notably, T=0 helium remains liquid at room pressure and must be under a pressure of at least 25 bar to crystallize. Helium ( He) is a colorless odorless tasteless non-toxic Inert Monatomic Chemical The bar (symbol bar) decibar (symbol dbar) and the millibar (symbol mbar, also mb are units of Pressure. This is because helium’s heat of fusion—the energy required to melt helium ice—is so low (only 21 J mol−1) that the motion-inducing effect of zero-point energy is sufficient to prevent it from freezing at lower pressures. Only if under at least 25 bar of pressure will this latent heat energy be liberated as helium freezes while approaching absolute zero. A further complication is that many solids change their crystal structure to more compact arrangements at extremely high pressures (up to millions of bars). These are known as solid-solid phase transitions wherein latent heat is liberated as a crystal lattice changes to a more thermodynamically favorable, compact one.
The above complexities make for rather cumbersome blanket statements regarding the internal energy in T=0 substances. Regardless of pressure though, what can be said is that at absolute zero, all solids with a lowest-energy crystal lattice such those with a closest-packed arrangement (see Fig. 8, above left) contain minimal internal energy, retaining only that due to the ever-present background of zero-point energy. [1] [28] One can also say that for a given substance at constant pressure, absolute zero is the point of lowest enthalpy (a measure of work potential that takes internal energy, pressure, and volume into consideration). In Thermodynamics and molecular chemistry, the enthalpy (denoted as H, h, or rarely as χ) is a quotient or description of [29] Lastly, it is always true to say that all T=0 substances contain zero kinetic heat energy. [1] [16]
Thermodynamic temperature is useful not only for scientists, it can also be useful for lay-people in many disciplines involving gases. By expressing variables in absolute terms and applying Gay–Lussac’s law of temperature/pressure proportionality, the solutions to familiar problems are straightforward. The expression Gay-Lussac's law is used for each of the two relationships named after the French chemist Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac and which concern the properties of Gases For instance, how is the pressure in an automobile tire affected by temperature? If the tire has a “cold” pressure of 200 kPa-gage, then in absolute terms—relative to a vacuum—its pressure is 300 kPa-absolute. [30] [31] [32] Room temperature (“cold” in tire terms) is 296 K. What would the tire pressure be if was 20 °C hotter? The answer is 316 K⁄296 K = 6. 8% greater thermodynamic temperature and absolute pressure; that is, a pressure of 320 kPa-absolute and 220 kPa-gage.
Earth’s proximity to the Sun is why most everything near Earth’s surface is warm with a temperature substantially above absolute zero. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 The Sun (Sol is the Star at the center of the Solar System. [33] Solar radiation constantly replenishes heat energy that Earth loses into space and a relatively stable state of equilibrium is achieved. Because of the wide variety of heat diffusion mechanisms (one of which is black-body radiation which occurs at the speed of light), objects on Earth rarely vary too far from the global mean surface and air temperature of 287 to 288 K (14 to 15 °C). The more an object’s or system’s temperature varies from this average, the more rapidly it tends to come back into equilibrium with the ambient environment.
Strictly speaking, the temperature of a system is well-defined only if its particles (atoms, molecules, electrons, photons) are at equilibrium, so that their energies obey a Boltzmann distribution (or its quantum mechanical counterpart). History See also Atomic theory, Atomism The concept that matter is composed of discrete units and cannot be divided into arbitrarily tiny In Chemistry, a molecule is defined as a sufficiently stable electrically neutral group of at least two Atoms in a definite arrangement held together by The electron is a fundamental Subatomic particle that was identified and assigned the negative charge in 1897 by J In Physics, the photon is the Elementary particle responsible for electromagnetic phenomena In Thermodynamics, a thermodynamic system is said to be in thermodynamic equilibrium when it is in thermal equilibrium Mechanical equilibrium, and WikipediaWikiProject Probability#Standards for a discussion of standards used for probability distribution articles such as this one Quantum mechanics is the study of mechanical systems whose dimensions are close to the Atomic scale such as Molecules Atoms Electrons There are many possible scales of temperature, derived from a variety of observations of physical phenomena. The thermodynamic temperature can be shown to have special properties, and in particular can be seen to be uniquely defined (up to some constant multiplicative factor) by considering the efficiency of idealized heat engines. In Mathematics, the phrase " up to xxxx" indicates that members of an Equivalence class are to be regarded as a single entity for some purpose Energy conversion efficiency is the Ratio between the useful output of an Energy conversion machine and the input in Energy terms A heat engine is a physical or theoretical device that converts Thermal energy to mechanical output Thus the ratio T2/T1 of two temperatures T1 andT2 is the same in all absolute scales. A ratio is an expression which compares quantities relative to each other
Loosely stated, temperature controls the flow of heat between two systems, and the universe as a whole, as with any natural system, tends to progress so as to maximize entropy. The Universe is defined as everything that Physically Exists: the entirety of Space and Time, all forms of Matter, Energy In Thermodynamics (a branch of Physics) entropy, symbolized by S, is a measure of the unavailability of a system ’s Energy This suggests that there should be a relationship between temperature and entropy. To elucidate this, consider first the relationship between heat, work and temperature. In Physics, mechanical work is the amount of Energy transferred by a Force. One way to study this is to analyse a heat engine, which is a device for converting heat into mechanical work, such as the Carnot heat engine. A Carnot heat engine is a hypothetical engine that operates on the reversible Carnot cycle. Such a heat engine functions by using a temperature gradient between a high temperature TH and a low temperature TC to generate work, and the work done (per cycle, say) by the heat engine is equal to the difference between the heat energy qH put into the system at the high temperature the heat qC ejected at the low temperature (in that cycle). The efficiency of the engine is the work divided by the heat put into the system or

where wcy is the work done per cycle. Thus the efficiency depends only on qC/qH. Because qC and qH correspond to heat transfer at the temperatures TC and TH, respectively, the ratio qC/qH should be a function f of these temperatures:

Carnot’s theorem states that all reversible engines operating between the same heat reservoirs are equally efficient. A Carnot heat engine is a hypothetical engine that operates on the reversible Carnot cycle. Thus, a heat engine operating between temperatures T1 and T3 must have the same efficiency as one consisting of two cycles, one between T1 and another (intermediate) temperature T2, and the second between T2 and T3. This can only be the case if

Now specialize to the case that T1 is a fixed reference temperature: the temperature of the triple point of water. Then for any T2 and T3,

Therefore if thermodynamic temperature is defined by

then the function f, viewed as a function of thermodynamic temperature, is simply

and the reference temperature T1 will have the value 273. 16. (Of course any reference temperature and any positive numerical value could be used — the choice here corresponds to the Kelvin scale. )
It follows immediately that

Substituting Equation 3 back into Equation 1 gives a relationship for the efficiency in terms of temperature:

Notice that for TC=0 the efficiency is 100% and that efficiency becomes greater than 100% for TC<0. Since an efficiency greater than 100% violates the first law of thermodynamics, this requires that zero must be the minimum possible temperature. In Thermodynamics, the first law of thermodynamics is an expression of the more universal physical law of the Conservation of energy. This has an intuitive interpretation: temperature is the motion of particles, so no system can, on average, have less motion than the minimum permitted by quantum physics. In fact, as of June 2006, the coldest man-made temperature was 450 pK. The kelvin (symbol K) is a unit increment of Temperature and is one of the seven SI base units The Kelvin scale is a thermodynamic [3]
Subtracting the right hand side of Equation 4 from the middle portion and rearranging gives

where the negative sign indicates heat ejected from the system. This relationship suggests the existence of a state function S (i. In Thermodynamics, a state function, state quantity, or a function of state, is a property of a system that depends only on the current e. , a function which depends only on the state of the system, not on how it reached that state) defined (up to an additive constant) by

where the subscript indicates heat transfer in a reversible process. The function S corresponds to the entropy of the system, mentioned previously, and the change of S around any cycle is zero (as is necessary for any state function). In Thermodynamics (a branch of Physics) entropy, symbolized by S, is a measure of the unavailability of a system ’s Energy Equation 5 can be rearranged to get an alternative definition for temperature in terms of entropy and heat:

For a system in which the entropy S is a function S(E) of its energy E, the thermodynamic temperature T is therefore given by

so that the reciprocal of the thermodynamic temperature is the rate of increase of entropy with energy.
In the following notes, wherever numeric equalities are shown in ‘concise form’—such as 1. Absolute zero is the point at which molecules do not move (relative to the rest of the body more than they are required to by a quantum mechanical effect called Zero-point This article covers adiabatic processes in Thermodynamics. For adiabatic processes in Quantum mechanics, see Adiabatic process (quantum mechanics In Physics, a black body is an object that absorbs all light that falls on it Boiling (also called ebullition) a type of Phase transition, is the rapid vaporization of a Liquid, which typically occurs when a liquid Bridge from macroscopic to microscopic physics Boltzmann's constant k is a bridge between Macroscopic and microscopic physics This article is about the physical phenomenon for the stochastic process see Wiener process. A Carnot heat engine is a hypothetical engine that operates on the reversible Carnot cycle. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. A chemical bond is the physical process responsible for the attractive interactions between Atoms and Molecules and which confers stability to diatomic and polyatomic Condensation is the change of the physical state of aggregation (or simply state of matter from gaseous phase into liquid phase Convection in the most general terms refers to the movement of molecules within Fluids (i For information on degrees of freedom in other sciences see Degrees of freedom. In chemistry delocalized electrons are Electrons in a Molecule that are not associated with a single Atom or to a Covalent bond. Diffusion is the net movement of particles (typically molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration by uncoordinated random movement elastic collision is a collision in which the total Kinetic energy of the colliding bodies after collision is equal to their total kinetic energy before collision The electron is a fundamental Subatomic particle that was identified and assigned the negative charge in 1897 by J In Physics and other Sciences energy (from the Greek grc ἐνέργεια - Energeia, "activity operation" from grc ἐνεργός Energy conversion efficiency is the Ratio between the useful output of an Energy conversion machine and the input in Energy terms In Thermodynamics and molecular chemistry, the enthalpy (denoted as H, h, or rarely as χ) is a quotient or description of In Thermodynamics (a branch of Physics) entropy, symbolized by S, is a measure of the unavailability of a system ’s Energy In classical Statistical mechanics, the equipartition theorem is a general formula that relates the Temperature of a system with its average energies Evaporation is the process by which Molecules in a Liquid state (e Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 In Thermodynamics, the first law of thermodynamics is an expression of the more universal physical law of the Conservation of energy. For freezing as a method of food preservation see Frozen food. This articles outlines the historical development of the laws describing ideal gases In Physics, heat, symbolized by Q, is Energy transferred from one body or system to another due to a difference in Temperature Heat conduction or thermal conduction is the spontaneous transfer of thermal energy through matter from a region of higher Temperature to a region of lower A heat engine is a physical or theoretical device that converts Thermal energy to mechanical output In Thermodynamics, the internal energy of a Thermodynamic system, or a body with well-defined boundaries, denoted by  U, or sometimes  The International Temperature Scale of 1990 ( ITS-90) is an equipment calibration standard for making measurements on the Kelvin and The ideal gas law is the Equation of state of a hypothetical Ideal gas, first stated by Benoît Paul Émile Clapeyron in 1834 The joule (written in lower case ˈdʒuːl or /ˈdʒaʊl/ (symbol J) is the SI unit of Energy measuring heat, Electricity The kelvin (symbol K) is a unit increment of Temperature and is one of the seven SI base units The Kelvin scale is a thermodynamic The kinetic energy of an object is the extra Energy which it possesses due to its motion In Thermochemistry, latent heat is the amount of Energy in the form of Heat released or absorbed by a substance during a change of phase The laws of thermodynamics, in principle describe the specifics for the transport of Heat and work in Thermodynamic processes. The Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution is a Probability distribution with applications in Physics and Chemistry. Melting is a process that results in the phase change of a substance from a Solid to a Liquid. The mole (symbol mol) is a unit of Amount of substance: it is an SI base unit, and almost the only unit to be used to measure this In Chemistry, a molecule is defined as a sufficiently stable electrically neutral group of at least two Atoms in a definite arrangement held together by Detailed list of temperatures from 100 K to 1000 K Most ordinary human activity takes place at temperatures of this order of magnitude In Thermodynamics, phase transition or phase change is the transformation of a thermodynamic system from one phase to another In Physics, a phonon is a quantized mode of vibration occurring in a rigid crystal lattice, such as the Atomic lattice of a Solid For a general introduction see Black body. In Physics, Planck's law describes the spectral radiance of Electromagnetic radiation Potential energy can be thought of as Energy stored within a physical system Quantum mechanics (QM or quantum theory) is a physical science dealing with the behavior of Matter and Energy on the scale of Atoms Quantum mechanics is the study of mechanical systems whose dimensions are close to the Atomic scale such as Molecules Atoms Electrons Rankine is a thermodynamic (absolute temperature scale named after the Scottish Engineer and Physicist William John Macquorn Rankine Specific heat capacity, also known simply as specific heat, is the measure of the heat energy required to increase the Temperature of a unit quantity The standard Enthalpy of fusion (symbol \Delta{}H_{fus} also known as the heat of fusion or specific melting heat, is the amount of The enthalpy of vaporization, (symbol \Delta{}_{v}H also known as the heat of vaporization or heat of evaporation, is the Energy required The Stefan–Boltzmann law, also known as Stefan's law, states that the total Energy radiated per unit surface Area of a Black body in unit Sublimation of an element or compound is a transition from the Solid to Gas phase with no intermediate liquid stage Temperature is a physical property of a system that underlies the common notions of hot and cold something that is hotter generally has the greater temperature Kelvin Celsius (Centigrade Fahrenheit Rankine Delisle Newton Réaumur In Physics, thermal conductivity, k is the property of a material that indicates its ability to conduct Heat. Thermal radiation is Electromagnetic radiation emitted from the surface of an object which is due to the object's Temperature. For a quick reference table of these equations see Table of thermodynamic equations In Thermodynamics, there are a large number of equations In Thermodynamics, a thermodynamic system is said to be in thermodynamic equilibrium when it is in thermal equilibrium Mechanical equilibrium, and In Physics, thermodynamics (from the Greek θερμη therme meaning " Heat " and δυναμις dynamis meaning " In Thermodynamics, the triple point of a substance is the Temperature and Pressure at which three phases (for example Gas, Liquid Relationship with the Boltzmann constant The Boltzmann constant kB (often abbreviated k) may be used in place of the gas constant by working VSMOW, or Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water, is an isotopic water standard defined in 1968 by the International Atomic Energy Agency. In Physics, mechanical work is the amount of Energy transferred by a Force. In Thermodynamics, work is the quantity of Energy transferred from one system to another without an accompanying transfer of Entropy. In Physics, the zero-point energy is the lowest possible Energy that a Quantum mechanical Physical system may possess and is the energy of the 85487(14) × 1043—the two digits between the parentheses denotes the uncertainty at 1σ standard deviation (68% confidence level) in the two least significant digits of the significand. Uncertainty is a term used in subtly different ways in a number of fields including Philosophy, Statistics, Economics, Finance, Insurance In Probability and Statistics, the standard deviation is a measure of the dispersion of a collection of values The significand (also Coefficient or Mantissa) is the part of a floating-point number that contains its significant digits
Although absolute zero (T=0) is not a state of zero molecular motion, it is the point of zero temperature and, in accordance with the Boltzmann constant, is also the point of zero particle kinetic energy and zero kinetic velocity. To understand how atoms can have zero kinetic velocity and simultaneously be vibrating due to ZPE, consider the following thought experiment: two T=0 helium atoms in zero gravity are carefully positioned and observed to have an average separation of 620 pm between them (a gap of ten atomic diameters). A picometre ( American spelling: picometer, symbol pm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one trillionth It’s an “average” separation because ZPE causes them to jostle about their fixed positions. Then one atom is given a kinetic kick of precisely 83 yoctokelvin (1 yK = 1 × 10–24 K). This is done in a way that directs this atom’s velocity vector at the other atom. With 83 yK of kinetic energy between them, the 620-pm gap through their common barycenter would close at a rate of 719 pm/s and they would collide after 0. 862 second. This is the same speed as shown in the Fig. 1 animation above. Before being given the kinetic kick, both T=0 atoms had zero kinetic energy and zero kinetic velocity because they could persist indefinitely in that state and relative orientation even though both were being jostled by ZPE. At T=0, no kinetic energy is available for transfer to other systems. The Boltzmann constant and its related formulas describe the realm of particle kinetics and velocity vectors whereas ZPE is an energy field that jostles particles in ways described by the mathematics of quantum mechanics. In atomic and molecular collisions in gases, ZPE introduces a degree of chaos, i. In Mathematics, chaos theory describes the behavior of certain dynamical systems – that is systems whose state evolves with time – that may exhibit dynamics that e. , unpredictability, to rebound kinetics; it is as likely that there will be less ZPE-induced particle motion after a given collision as more. This random nature of ZPE is why it has no net effect upon either the pressure or volume of any bulk quantity (a statistically significant quantity of particles) of T>0 K gases. However, in T=0 condensed matter; e. Condensed matter physics is the field of Physics that deals with the macroscopic physical properties of Matter. g. , solids and liquids, ZPE causes inter-atomic jostling where atoms would otherwise be perfectly stationary. Inasmuch as the real-world effects that ZPE has on substances can vary as one alters a thermodynamic system (for example, due to ZPE, helium won’t freeze unless under a pressure of at least 25 bar), ZPE is very much a form of heat energy and may properly be included when tallying a substance’s internal energy. The bar (symbol bar) decibar (symbol dbar) and the millibar (symbol mbar, also mb are units of Pressure.
Note too that absolute zero serves as the baseline atop which thermodynamics and its equations are founded because they deal with the exchange of heat energy between “systems” (a plurality of particles and fields modeled as an average). In Physics, thermodynamics (from the Greek θερμη therme meaning " Heat " and δυναμις dynamis meaning " For a quick reference table of these equations see Table of thermodynamic equations In Thermodynamics, there are a large number of equations Accordingly, one may examine ZPE-induced particle motion within a system that is at absolute zero but there can never be a net outflow of heat energy from such a system. Also, the peak emittance wavelength of black-body radiation shifts to infinity at absolute zero; indeed, a peak no longer exists and black-body photons can no longer escape. Due to the influence of ZPE however, virtual photons are still emitted at T=0. Such photons are called “virtual” because they can’t be intercepted and observed. Furthermore, this zero-point radiation has a unique zero-point spectrum. However, even though a T=0 system emits zero-point radiation, no net heat flow Q out of such a system can occur because if the surrounding environment is at a temperature greater than T=0, heat will flow inward, and if the surrounding environment is at T=0, there will be an equal flux of ZP radiation both inward and outward. A similar Q equilibrium exists at T=0 with the ZPE-induced “spontaneous” emission of photons (which is more properly called a stimulated emission in this context). Spontaneous emission is the process by which a light source such as an Atom, Molecule, Nanocrystal or nucleus in an Excited state The graph at upper right illustrates the relationship of absolute zero to zero-point energy. The graph also helps in the understanding of how zero-point energy got its name: it is the vibrational energy matter retains at the “zero kelvin point. ” Citation: Derivation of the classical electromagnetic zero-point radiation spectrum via a classical thermodynamic operation involving van der Waals forces, Daniel C. Cole, Physical Review A, Third Series 42, Number 4, 15 August 1990, Pg. 1847–1862.

is the vector-isolated mean velocity of translational particle motion in m/s
is the mean speed of translational particle motion in m/s
for v in the classic formula for kinetic energy, Ek = 1⁄2m • v 2 produces precisely the same value as does Emean = 3/2kBT (as shown in the section titled The nature of kinetic energy, translational motion, and temperature).