Dissipation and energy equipartition
Date
1962
DOI
Authors
Badoian, Marion Elizabeth
Version
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
In the study of general physics, many problems arise in which the process which takes place is such that the energy delivered to a system is equally divided between the energy stored, and later available for work, and the energy dissipated by the system.
This paper constitutes a rather detailed analysis of three of these many processes and an attempt, through the examination of the characteristics of the processes, to develop an underlying physical theorem, or extend an existing theorem that would govern these characteristics. Particular emphasis was placed on the Virial Theorem, on the classical equipartition of energy law, and on the Rayleigh dissipation function in relation to the problems of: a satellite moving in an inverse square central force field and encountering a dissipative medium, a condenser being charged from a constant source of emf through an arbitrary resistor, and a capacitor whose plates are being filled with a dielectric while it is held at constant potential. None of these theorems could be extended to cover all the problems, and a new theorem was not developed.
Description
Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University
License
Based on investigation of the BU Libraries' staff, this work is free of known copyright restrictions.