Abstract
The construction of a relativistic thermodynamics theory is still controversial after more than 110 years. To the date there is no agreement on which set of relativistic transformations of thermodynamic quantities is the correct one, or if the problem even has a solution. Starting from Planck and Einstein, several authors have proposed their own reasoning, concluding that a moving body could appear cooler, hotter or at the same temperature as measured by a local observer. In this article we present a review of the main theories of relativistic thermodynamics, with an special emphasis on the physical assumptions adopted by each one. We also present a set of relativistic transformations that we have derived by assuming the laws of Thermodynamics to be covariant. We found that under such assumptions a moving body appears to be hotter. Since relativistic thermodynamics is a topic that can be treated as part of an undergraduate course of classical thermodynamics or modern physics, the review and our own derivations presented here aim to encourage undergraduate physics students to open a discussion on the fundamental assumptions in thermodynamics and to engage in research activities early in their scientific career.
Highlights
The construction of a relativistic thermodynamics theory is still controversial after more than 110 years
We conclude that the long-standing controversy on the construction of a theory of relativistic thermodynamics is mainly based on the initial assumptions, which need to be tested in the future in order to discern which set of Lorentz transformations is correct for quantities such as temperature and pressure
That identifies intensive quantities as the ones that are equal between two subsystems in thermodynamic equilibrium, the set of relativistic transformations we obtain for them is a consequence of a particular thermodynamic process where we find equilibrium by using a reservoir as an auxiliary system
Summary
The construction of a relativistic thermodynamics theory is still controversial after more than 110 years. Dunkel et al.[39] suggested that, while Ott (and later Van Kampen) results seem to be more reasonable, it is almost impossible to tell which one is the correct one, given the current impossibility to perform an experiment which could shed light into this topic Within this context, we conclude that the long-standing controversy on the construction of a theory of relativistic thermodynamics is mainly based on the initial assumptions, which need to be tested in the future in order to discern which set of Lorentz transformations is correct for quantities such as temperature and pressure. We encourage professors to introduce it as part of the program in a Classical Thermodynamics course, or maybe as a side project in the class
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