The problem of the foundation of statistical physics emerged with the derivation by Ludwig Boltzmann of a kinetic equation for a gas of molecules that required monotonic growth of entropy. Boltzmann's theory leads to modern thermodynamics, and, for example, to the impossibility of gas spontaneously gathering in one part of a container in the absence of external forces. This result, known as the H‐theorem, met with strong contemporary opposition, especially from mathematician Ernst Zermelo.
REFERENCES
1.
2.
3.
P. Ehrenfest and T. Ehrenfest, The Conceptual Foundations of the Statistical Approach in Mechanics, Cornell U. P., Ithaca, N.Y. (1959).
4.
M. Kac, Probability and Related Topics in Physical Sciences, Interscience, New York (1957).
5.
E. Fermi, J. Pasta. S. Ulam, Los Alamos Scientific Report LA‐1940 (1955),
reprinted in Collected Works of Enrico Fermi, vol. 2, p. 978, U. of Chicago P., Chicago (1965).
6.
N. S. Krylov, Works on the Foundations of Statistical Physics, Princeton U. P., Princeton, N.J. (1979).
7.
G. M. Zaslavsky, Chaos in Dynamic Systems, Harwood, New York (1984).
8.
H. S. Leff and A. F. Rex, eds., Maxwell's Demon, Princeton U. P., Princeton, N.J. (1990).
9.
M. F.
Shlesinger
, G. M.
Zaslavsky
, J.
Klafter
, Nature
363
, 31
(1993
).10.
11.
A.
Babiano
, G.
Boffetta
, A.
Provenzale
, A.
Vulpiani
, Phys. Fluids
6
, 2465
(1994
).12.
G. M.
Zaslavsky
, D.
Stevens
, H.
Weitzner
, Phys. Rev. E
48
, 1683
(1993
).M. F.
Shlesinger
, B. J.
West
, J.
Klafter
, Phys. Rev. Lett.
58
, 1100
(1987
).T.
Solomon
, E.
Weeks
, H.
Swinney
, Phys. Rev. Lett.
71
, 3975
(1993
).S.
Benkadda
, S.
Kassibrakis
, R.
White
, G. M.
Zaslavsky
, Phys. Rev. E
55
, 4909
(1997
).13.
G. M.
Zaslavsky
, M.
Edelman
, B.
Niyazov
, Chaos
7
, 159
(1997
).14.
15.
16.
E. W. Montroll, M. F. Shlesinger, in Studies in Statistical Mechanics, J. Lebowitz, E. Montroll, eds., North Holland, Amsterdam (1984), vol. 11, p. 1.
17.
P. Lévy, Theorie de l'Addition des Variables Aletoires, Gauthier‐Villiars, Paris (1937).
18.
This content is only available via PDF.
© 1999 American Institute of Physics.
1999
American Institute of Physics
You do not currently have access to this content.
