Momentum work and the energetic foundations of physics. IV. The essence of heat, entropy, enthalpy, and Gibbs free energy

Abstract

Momentum work enables a complete shift from kinematics to dynamics. This involves changes in the very fundamentals of physics, not only in mechanics, statistical mechanics, and special relativity, as shown in Papers I–III [G. Kalies and D. D. Do, AIP Adv. 13(6), 065121 (2023); G. Kalies, D. D. Do, and S. Arnrich, AIP Adv. 13(5), 055317 (2023); and G. Kalies and D. D. Do, AIP Adv. (in press) (2023)] of this series, but also in thermodynamics. In this paper, we challenge the narrative that classical phenomenological thermodynamics is completed and show that it represents an efficient interim solution that hides essential information. The essence of heat transfer and entropy is revealed, and an answer is given to the question of why entropy had to remain abstract and elusive in the past. Furthermore, we uncover the specific forms of energy behind thermodynamic state variables, such as enthalpy, Helmholtz free energy, and Gibbs free energy, which play a central role in describing chemical reactions and phase transitions. We thereby lay the foundation for thermodynamics to evolve from a framework theory valid for macroscopic systems to vivid quantum-process thermodynamics.