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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Faigon, Adrian
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.28820
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author Faigon, Adrian
author_facet Faigon, Adrian
contents The particle in an expanding/contracting 1-dimension box is revisited in action-angle like variables with direct thermodynamic interpretation. An angle dependent potential is proposed accurately describing the mechanical behavior while also capturing thermodynamic evolution -- entropy production -- within a canonical Hamiltonian framework. Heat transfer at constant volume is analyzed, and the derived thermal conductance matches the universal quantum of heat conductance $G_{Q}$ in the quantum limit. Having a Hamiltonian scheme interpretable in thermodynamic terms, a Schrödinger-like wave equation is formulated whose wavefunction solutions contain the information about the entropy evolution. The results show exact agreement with 'classical' results for non abrupt changes. Finally, comparisons with a pure quantum mechanical treatment of the wave function in an expanding box confirm consistency in quasi-static regimes and reveal adiabaticity breakdown under far-from-equilibrium conditions.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_28820
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A Schrödinger-like equation for the Thermodynamics of a particle in a box
Faigon, Adrian
Classical Physics
Quantum Physics
The particle in an expanding/contracting 1-dimension box is revisited in action-angle like variables with direct thermodynamic interpretation. An angle dependent potential is proposed accurately describing the mechanical behavior while also capturing thermodynamic evolution -- entropy production -- within a canonical Hamiltonian framework. Heat transfer at constant volume is analyzed, and the derived thermal conductance matches the universal quantum of heat conductance $G_{Q}$ in the quantum limit. Having a Hamiltonian scheme interpretable in thermodynamic terms, a Schrödinger-like wave equation is formulated whose wavefunction solutions contain the information about the entropy evolution. The results show exact agreement with 'classical' results for non abrupt changes. Finally, comparisons with a pure quantum mechanical treatment of the wave function in an expanding box confirm consistency in quasi-static regimes and reveal adiabaticity breakdown under far-from-equilibrium conditions.
title A Schrödinger-like equation for the Thermodynamics of a particle in a box
topic Classical Physics
Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.28820