I read some answers regarding negative temperatures but I think my question is new. I want to know that what is the physical significance of negative temperature.
Suppose I say a body has temperature -2 K. Can I interpret it physically?
Answer
Negative temperatures are only defined for systems where there are a limited number of energy states. Consider rising the temperature of such a system, then as the temperature starts rising, particles begin to move into higher energy states, and as the temperature continues rising, the number of particles in the lower energy states and in the higher energy states approaches equality. (This is a consequence of the definition of temperature in statistical mechanics for systems with limited states.) If we add energy into these systems in the proper manner, we can create a system in which the number of particles in the higher energy states is bigger than the number of the lower ones. Our system is then characterised as having a negative temperature. Hence, "a substance with a negative temperature is not colder than absolute zero, but rather it is hotter than infinite temperature." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_temperature)
In general, as one adds energy to a system with a negative temperature, its entropy decreases. On the other hand, if the same energy is added to a system with positive temperature then its entropy increases.
No comments:
Post a Comment