The Onsager Reciprocal Relations state that in a physical system near thermodynamic equilibrium undergoing several coupled irreversible processes, such as heat and matter simultaneously diffusing under combined temperature and concentration gradients, the matrix of coefficients relating each thermodynamic flux to every thermodynamic force is symmetric, so the effect of one force on another flux equals the effect of that other force on the first flux. Named for Lars Onsager, they are a foundational result of nonequilibrium statistical mechanics derived from the microscopic reversibility of the underlying physical laws.
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Source Onsager reciprocal relations (Wikipedia)
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1. Onsager reciprocal relations (Wikipedia)
References
Onsager, Lars (1931-02-15). 'Reciprocal Relations in Irreversible Processes. I.'
In Group: Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Lead section
equality was shown to be necessary by Lars Onsager using statistical mechanics as a consequence of the time reversibility of
In Branch: Mathematical Physics, Lead section
In thermodynamics, the Onsager reciprocal relations express the
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