Original scientific paper

Is the Stationary Current Distribution in a Linear Planar Electric Network Determined by the Principle of Maximum Entropy Production?

Abstract

The standard derivation of Kirchhoff’s voltage law is based on the assumption that the first law of thermodynamics (sum of products of applied EMF’s and corresponding currents = heat dissipation) is satisfied within each loop. In contrast, we start from the fact that first law of thermodynamics applies globally to the electric circuit as a whole. It is then shown that Kirchhoff’s voltage law may be derived as an extremum of the system entropy production constrained by
the first law applied globally, and that the extremum is a maximum. Thus the stationary distribution of currents in a linear electric circuit is governed by the principle of maximum entropy production.

Keywords

maximum entropy production; Kirchhoff’s voltage law

Hrčak ID:

11

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/11

Publication date:

15.6.2005.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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