Existence of Thermodynamics for Real Matter with Coulomb Forces

J. L. Lebowitz; Elliott H. Lieb

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.22.631

Existence of Thermodynamics for Real Matter with Coulomb Forces

J. L. Lebowitz and Elliott H. Lieb

Phys. Rev. Lett. 22, 631 – Published 31 March 1969

Abstract

It is shown that a system made up of nuclei and electrons, the constituents of ordinary matter, has a well-defined statistical -mechanically computed free energy per unit volume in the thermodynamic (bulk) limit. This proves that statistical mechanics, as developed by Gibbs, really leads to a proper thermodynamics for macroscopic systems.

Received 3 February 1969

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.22.631

Authors & Affiliations

J. L. Lebowitz^*

Belfer Graduate School of Science, Yeshiva University, New York, New York 10033

Elliott H. Lieb^†

Department of Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139

^*Work supported by Air Force Office of Scientific Research, U. S. Air Force under Grant No. AFOSR 68-1416.
^†Work supported by National Science Foundation Grant No. GP-9414.