Molecular thermodynamics: Allowance for momentum and structural equilibrium

The possibility and the value of updating the theoretical base of classical thermodynamics were demonstrated. The energy of particles is divided between kinetic and potential energy. Universal coordinates are introduced to take account of the motion and the interaction of particles (with each other or with an external field). The theoretical potential and the application range of the formulated thermodynamics (called molecular thermodynamics) are substantially extended. The new criteria of structural and momentum equilibrium and their repercussions are introduced and illustrated, and statistical analogs are established. The mutual convexity and other unexpected characteristics of the thermodynamic functions are exposed. The applications of the theory are extended to classical and nonequilibrium systems.Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Éksperimental'naya Khimiya, Vol. 31, No. 6, pp. 339–350, November–December, 1995.