RECIPROCITY RELATIONS. MAXWELL, ONSAGER A THERMOKINETIC APPROACH

Abstract

Thermokinetics is the general kinetic theory of physico-chemical phenomena. Though its basic conception is very old, the thermodynamic theory has been developed only in the last two decades. The scope of Thermokinetics extends to equilibria (dynamics of equilibria), to near-equilibrium (Onsagerian Irreversible Thermodynamics) and far from equilibrium processes (chemical reactions). The kinetic treatment results in new interpretations for old concepts, such as rate coefficients, symmetry relations, cross effects, etc. The proper selection of variables leads to a symmetric and unified system of static and dynamic properties and relationships. As Maxwell's experimentally confirmed reciprocities (MRR) confirmed the existence of the entropy, in a similar way, the empirical dynamic reciprocities (DRR) lead to the 'Entropy dissipation Function (Ds)' and vice versa, DRR can be proved, similarly to MRR, as the reciprocity of the second derivative matrix of Ds. Onsager's ORR is regarded as a special case of DRR. Problems about other proofs are listed in brief.