학술논문

Entropic considerations in the two-capacitor problem
Document Type
article
Source
Revista Brasileira de Ensino de Física. March 2015 37(1)
Subject
two-capacitor problem
entropy
Language
English
ISSN
1806-1117
Abstract
We study the well-known two-capacitor problem from a new perspective, focusing on the thermodynamic aspects of the discharge process. The free electron gas model is used to describe the electrons’ energy levels in both capacitors in the low temperature regime. We assume an isothermal heat exchange between the resistor and the heat reservoir. Even in this limiting case, we obtain a positive entropy variation due to the discharge, which points out the irreversibility of this process.