Briefintroduction
LudwigEdwardBoltzmann(1844.2.20-1906.9.5),thermodynamicsandOneofthefoundersofstatisticalphysics.
LudwigBoltzmannwasborninVienna,Austriain1844,andreceivedhisdoctoratefromtheUniversityofViennain1866.
Boltzmann'scontributionsaremainlyinthermodynamicsandstatisticalphysics.In1869,heextendedMaxwell'slawofvelocitydistributiontothecaseofconservativeforcefield,andobtainedBoltzmann'slawofdistribution.In1872,BoltzmannestablishedtheBoltzmannequation(alsoknownasthetransportequation)todescribethetransitionprocessofagasfromanon-equilibriumstatetoanequilibriumstate.In1877,heproposedthefamousBoltzmannentropyformula.
Character'slife
LudwigBoltzmannwasborninViennaanddiedinDuino,Italy.HereceivedhisdoctoratefromtheUniversityofViennain1866andservedsuccessivelyProfessorofUniversityofGraz,UniversityofVienna,UniversityofMunichandUniversityofLeipzig.HedevelopedMaxwell'stheoryofmolecularmotion,linkedtheentropyandprobabilityofaphysicalsystem,clarifiedthestatisticalpropertiesofthesecondlawofthermodynamics,andledtothetheoryofenergyequivalence(Maxwell-Boltzmann'slaw).Hefirstpointedoutthatallspontaneousprocessesalwayschangefromalowprobabilitystatetoahighprobabilitystate,fromordertodisorder.In1877,Boltzmannproposedtouse"entropy"tomeasurethedegreeofdisorderofmoleculesinasystem,andgavetheentropySandthedegreeofdisorderΩ(thatis,thenumberofmicroscopicstatescorrespondingtoacertainobjectivestate,ormacroscopicTherelationshipbetweentheprobabilityofappearanceofthestate)isS=klnΩ.ThisisthefamousBoltzmannformula,inwhichtheconstantk=1.38×10-23J/KiscalledBoltzmann'sconstant.Hefirstappliedtheprinciplesofthermodynamicstoradiationandderivedthelawofthermalradiation,calledStefan-Boltzmann'slaw.Healsopaysattentiontotheresearchofthephilosophyofnaturalscience,andhasauthored"TheDynamicTheoryofMatter"andsoon.Asaphilosopher,heopposedpositivismandphenomenology,andresolutelydefendedatomismwhenitwasundersevereattack.
"Ifyoudon’tlikethegastheoryforawhileandburyit,itwillbeatragedyforscience;forexample:thetreatmentofwavetheoryduetoNewton’sauthorityisalesson.IrealizedthatIwasjustAnindividualwhoisweakandpowerlesstofightthetrendofthetimes,butstillcontributeswithinhisability,sothatoncethegastheoryisrestored,thereisnoneedtorediscovermanythings."-Boltzmann
Erzman'slifeisquitedramatic,andhisuniquepersonalityhasalwaysattractedpeople'sattention.Somepeoplesaythathehasbeena"hillie"throughouthislife,andhehimselfisresponsiblefortheconstantrelocationanduninterruptedconflictsthroughouthislife.Evenhissuicidetoendhisgloriouslifeistheinevitableresultofhisconflictofvalues.ItwasalsosaidthatBoltzmannwasFeynmanatthetime.Hislecturesareextremelyfunnyandwitty,andthereareoftenwordssuchas"verybigandsmall"intheclass.Humorishisnature,buttheothersideofhischaracter-thewonderfulcombinationofhighself-esteemandextremeinconfidence-isextremelyharmfultothesoulofthisgenius.Theauthorofthisbookusedasubtitle:"ThoseWhoBelieveinAtoms"anddrewanotherprofilepictureofBoltzmann.
Ifweabandonthe"socialconstructivism"whichisstrictly"decisive",andadoptarelatively"weak"standpoint,tryingtofindsomerelevantfactorsinthevarioussocialandculturalcompositionsofthetime."InterpretingBoltzmannshouldstillbefeasible.Boltzmann's"fathercountry"wasinAustria,whichwascalled"ChinaontheDanube"atthetime.TheAustro-HungarianEmpireisextremelystrongontheoutside,butitisfullofinternalcontradictions.Inacademia,peopleoftenwastetimeoversomeredtape.Constantwritingsafflicttiredscholars.Followingcertainetiquette"procedures"ismoreimportantthanspecificthings.InAustriaandBavaria,despitetheirstatus,theprofessorclassdoesnotbelongtothemostrespectedclass.Afterretirement,theystillhavetoworryabouttheunsettledpension.
BoltzmannwasborninViennaandwaseducatedinViennaandLinz.Hereceivedhisdoctorateattheageof22.Afterthat,severaluniversitiesofferedhimpositions.HehastaughtattheUniversityofGraz,theUniversityofVienna,theUniversityofMunichandtheUniversityofLeipzig.Amongthem,hetaughtattheUniversityofGrazandtheUniversityofViennatwice.
DuringtheBoltzmannera,thermodynamictheorywasnotwidelyspread.Hemadegreatcontributionstomakingthescientificcommunityacceptthetheoryofthermodynamics,especiallythesecondlawofthermodynamics.ItisgenerallybelievedthatheandMaxwelldiscoveredthetheoryofgasdynamics,andheisalsorecognizedasthefounderofstatisticalmechanics.
ItstandstoreasonthatBoltzmann'sacademiccareershouldbeverysmooth,butinfactitisfullofhardships.Manyofthemaresocialfactors,butmoreshouldberelatedtohispersonalcharacter.
The"atomic"and"energetic"debatebetweenBoltzmannandOstwaldisveryfamousinthehistoryofscience.AccordingtoPlanck,"Thesetworivalsareequallywittyandresponsive;theyarebothverytalented."Atthattime,bothsideshadtheirownsupporters.Ostwald’s“backstage”isErnstMach,whodoesnotrecognizetheexistenceof“atoms”.DuetoMach'stremendousinfluenceinthescientificcommunity,manyfamousscientistsatthattimealsorefusedtorecognizetherealityof"atoms".Later,thefamousPlancksidedwithBoltzmann,butbecausePlanckwasstillsmallatthetime,heplayedtheroleofBoltzmann'sassistantatbest.Boltzmanndidn'tacknowledgetheassistant'scredit,andevendismisseditabit.Althoughtheybothoppose"Energyism",Planck'sviewsaredifferentfromBoltzmann'sviews.WhatparticularlyannoyedBoltzmannwasthatPlanckdidnothavemuchenthusiasmforBoltzmann'scherishedatomictheory.Later,oneofPlanck'sstudents,E.Zermelo,wroteanarticlepointingoutaseriousflawinBoltzmann'sH-theorem,whichmadeBoltzmannevenmoreembarrassed.BoltzmannrepliedtoZelmeroinasarcastictone,andturnedtoPlancktohavegreateropinions.EveninthelettertoPlanck,Boltzmannoftenfounditdifficulttoconcealhis"hate".Onlyinhislateryears,whenPlanckreportedtohimthathehadderivedthelawsofradiationbasedonatomism,didheturnhisangerintojoy.
Boltzmannwasimmersedinthestrugglewiththesedifferentopinions,whichdamagedhisphysicalandmentalhealthtoacertainextent.
AlthoughthecontroversybetweenBoltzmann's"atomictheory"andOstwald's"energeticism"eventuallyBoltzmannwon,butthisprocessisveryimportantforthelifeofascientist.Saiditseemstoolong.Boltzmannhasalwaysfeltlikefightingalone.Hetriedtocommitsuicidetwice.Theunsuccessfulonein1900,hefellintoadilemma.Inaddition,inhislateryears,hesucceededMachastheprofessorofinductivephilosophyofscience,andhisunsuccessfulphilosophicallessonsmadehimdoubtwhetherhecouldteachwell.
Boltzmann'spainisincreasingdaybyday,andthereisnootherwaytorelievehim.Itseemsunlikelythathewillgethelpfromoutside.Ifhisspiritualworldcanbecomparedtoasystem,itisalsoanisolationsystem.Accordingtotheprincipleofincreaseinentropy,theentropyofanisolatedsystemcannotdecreaseforever,itisrelentlesslyincreasingtowarditsmaximum.Inotherwords,thedegreeofconfusionisdevelopingtowardsamaximum.ThechaosinBoltzmann'sspiritualworldbecameanirreversibleprocess,andhefinallyhadtochoosesuicidetoendhisspirituallifewithincreasing"levelofchaos".In1906,inhisbelovedDuino,whichbelongedtoAustriaatthetimeandwasallocatedtoItalyaftertheFirstWorldWar,helethislong-wearygeniusrestinpeace.
Thisbringsaboutawell-knownbutnotindisputable"Planck'slaw"inacademiccircles.Itsexpressionisasfollows:"Asusual,anewscientifictruthcannotbeusedtopersuadeopponents,waitingforthemtoexpresstheiropinionsandsaythatthemethodof'benefitingalot'isimplemented.Onthecontrary,itcanonlywaituntiltheopponentsgraduallydie,sothatthenewgenerationbeginstobecomefamiliarwithit.Thetruthcanonlybecarriedout.”ForPlanck,academicdebatesarenotverytempting,becausehebelievesthattheycannotproduceanythingnew.
Becausetheabovestatementwaslaterquotedbyotherscholarswhohadsignificantinfluenceintheacademicworld,suchasThomasKuhn,itseemstobeaself-evidenttruth.Isittrue?IfPlanck'sstatementistrue,thenthesignificanceofscientificdebateinthehistoryofscientificthoughtwillbegreatlyreduced.Planckispeacefulandupright,andheisknownas"learningforestcooper".Hisnoblecharacterisworthyofadmiration,butnoteverywordhesaidiscorrect,evenifthissentencehasbeenrepeatedlymentioned.Peoplequote.Incidentally,Planckalsosaidasentencethatisoftenquoted:"Women'sacademicresearchiscontrarytotheirnature."Thissentenceisofcourseveryquestionable,whetheryouarea"feministornot""NonewouldagreewithPlanck'sprejudice.
ResearchScope
BoltzmannextendedJ.C.Maxwell’stheoryofmolecularmotionandobtainedtheMaxwell-Boltzmanndistributionlawwithmolecularpotentialenergy.HethenintroducedtheHfunctionofmoleculardistributionfromthebroaderanddeepernon-equilibriummoleculardynamicsin1872,therebyobtainingtheHtheorem,whichisthebasisoftheclassicalmoleculardynamicstheory.Sincethen,themacroscopicirreversibility,entropySandthesecondlawofthermodynamicshavebeenabletousethemicroscopicprobabilitystatenumberWtoillustrateitsstatisticalsignificance,especiallywhenheintroducedtheBoltzmannconstantktoobtaintherelationshipS=lnW.HealsoderivedtheStefan-Boltzmannblackbodyradiationformulau=σT4(uistheradiationdensity;Tistheabsolutetemperature;σ),whichhederivedfromtheprinciplesofthermodynamics.Isauniversalconstant).HestronglysupportedandpromotedMaxwell'selectromagnetictheory,anddeterminedtherelationshipbetweentherefractiveindexandrelativepermittivityofthemediumandthemagneticpermeability,confirmingMaxwell'sprediction.Asadeterminedmaterialist,BoltzmannbelievedintheexistenceofmoleculesandatomsandopposedtheenergyistswhodeniedtheexistenceofatomsledbyF.W.Ostwald.SuicideinDuino,Italyduetoisolationandillness.
Chronologyofcharacters
1844:BorninVienna,Austria
1866:ObtainedadoctoratefromtheUniversityofVienna
1869:MaxwellspeedThedistributionlawwasextendedtothesituationundertheactionoftheconservativeforcefield,andtheBoltzmanndistributionlawwasobtained
1872:BoltzmannestablishedtheBoltzmannequation(alsoknownasthetransportequation)
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1877:ProposedthefamousBoltzmannentropyformula
1906:SuicideandwasburiedintheViennaCentralCemetery.
SocialEvaluation
Oneofthefoundersofthermodynamicsandstatisticalphysics.