Principle of Earth materials: A historical perspective of thermodynamics of the Earth

Abstract

Earth is a combination of material and energy. The evolution of Earth and planets is a history of the transfer of matter and energy. Materials science is codified into physics and chemistry, while mathematics is the language that describes the law of nature, which belongs to the field of thermodynamics. Significance Thus, thermodynamics, consisting of physics, chemistry and mathematics, can unravel the principles of earth materials. Since the middle of the 19th century, Kelvin used thermodynamic theory to calculate the age of the Earth, and thermodynamics has been applied in the field of earth science for more than 100 years, which has provided a vital theoretical framework for understanding the planet's formation and evolution. Its application revolutionized the development of earth science. Progress In the past 20 years, with the development of physics, chemistry and computer science, the application and development of classical thermodynamics and nonequilibrium thermodynamics in earth matter science have further improved and become the fundamental principal system of earth material research. The thermodynamics of earth have been studied to determine the structure, dynamics and evolution of earth by studying the formation and evolution of earth materials. Thermodynamics links geophysics, geochemistry and geology. However, new thermodynamic models, databases, and methods for teaching and learning about thermodynamics in earth science need to be developed. Conclusions and Prospects It is foreseeable that understanding the earth and its evolution from the perspective of thermodynamics will be a permanent issue. Thermodynamics will exert its power in unknown fields such as planetary science, earth's internal evolution as well as earth systems science, driving people to make new observations and theories about nature.

Keywords

• earth materials
• thermodynamics
• non-equilibrium thermodynamics
• earth system