6533b835fe1ef96bd12a006b
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Central role of the observable electric potential in transport equations.
Vicente CompañM. Lidón LópezJavier Garridosubject
PhysicsClassical mechanicsDistribution (mathematics)Thermodynamic statePhysics::Atomic and Molecular ClustersNon-equilibrium thermodynamicsCharge densityObservableStatistical physicsElectric potentialIonVariable (mathematics)description
Nonequilibrium systems are usually studied in the framework of transport equations that involve the true electric potential (TEP), a nonobservable variable. Nevertheless another electric potential, the observable electric potential (OEP), may be defined to construct a useful set of transport equations. In this paper several basic characteristics of the OEP are deduced and emphasized: (i) the OEP distribution depends on thermodynamic state of the solution, (ii) the observable equations have a reference value for all other transport equations, (iii) the bridge that connects the OEP with a certain TEP is usually defined by the ion activity coefficient, (iv) the electric charge density is a nonobservable variable, and (v) the OEP formulation constitutes a natural model for studying the fluxes in membrane systems.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-06-22 | Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics |