Poster De Conférence Année : 2023

Some reflections on the relations between thermodynamics and relativity theory

Résumé

The following reflections wish to propose a very general framework in which to consider future research. Our rationality functions on the articulation of two modes: - a relational mode (we are inside the world and we can only compare things to each other without being able to look at each one for itself); - a quasi-substantial mode (in this game of comparisons leading to endless regressions, we have to stop, at least temporarily, and choose by convention objects to which we attribute standard properties) [1], [2]. A fundamental process of thought opposes the stable to the fluctuating, conservation to flux, permanence to change, space to time. These last two concepts are only the names of two poles of thought. We find this opposition in the theory of relativity (the first postulate expresses the conservation of laws; the second postulate founds the standard of time in the conservation of a "speed"); as well as in thermodynamics (the first law expresses a conservation, the second a way of "constraining" the flow of time). In this context, it seems appropriate to us to go in two directions: 1) that of seeing each time, in the duality of the previous principles, only the two sides of the same coin, i.e., to propose a unification (that of the first and second postulates of relativity, that of the first and second laws of thermodynamics); 2) that of establishing a closer correspondence between the two laws of thermodynamics and the two postulates of relativity. We list here some milestones to go in these directions: - writing physical quantities in pairs such as {electric field, magnetic field}, {energy, momentum}, {position, time}, {entropy, entropy flow}, etc. - writing the elementary laws of physics as conservation laws. Lorentz invariance is one way of seeing the unification of principles in duality, both in thermodynamics and in relativity; another way is to see the link between extremal principles and conservation. In a previous communication [3], we have already proposed to see the second law of thermodynamics and the second postulate of relativity in the same light, under their spatial aspect. It will be necessary to extend this view to the inseparable temporal aspect. Other questions will have to be examined, such as - that of taking into account in a theory in a distinct and/or associated way what concerns the scene and its graduations on the one hand, and that of the phenomenon which unfolds there on the other hand (case of background independence), - that of linking what concerns the extremum of entropy production to the general analysis, - that of understanding the functioning of the probabilistic aspects (which lead us to the side of quantum mechanics) This type of very general considerations has already allowed us to make proposals (to be submitted to criticism) on some fundamental problems of physics, such as the relationship between quantum mechanics and general relativity [4], or even those of cosmology (dark matter and dark energy) [5]. REFERENCES [1] Guy B., Thinking together time and space, Philosophia Scientiae, 15, 3, 91-113, 2011, in French. In English: . [2]Guy B., The complex thinking of time, The Conversation France, 2022, in French. [3]Guy B., On the connection between the Second law of Thermodynamics and the Second postulate of Relativity theory. Some illustrations in Social sciences. Thermodynamics 2.0 international conference, 2022. [4]Guy B., Connecting quantum mechanics and general relativity? Reflections and proposals, , , 2016. [5]Guy B., Revising the status of the "speed of light" and examining some cosmological problems, , 2022, in French. In English: A unified view of the dark matter and dark energy problems, ResearchGate.

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hal-05132112 , version 1 (27-06-2025)

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Bernard Guy. Some reflections on the relations between thermodynamics and relativity theory. JETC Joint European Thermodynamics Conference Salerno 2023, Jun 2023, Salerno (Italy), Italy. ⟨hal-05132112⟩

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