4 ms·

Yeah, because the electromagnetic field contains energy, which can be converted into other forms. A system's temperature is 'how readily it gives off energy'. I

Yeah, because the electromagnetic field contains energy, which can be converted into other forms. A system's temperature is 'how readily it gives off energy'. It need not have anything to do with particles or speed.

geuis 16y ago
http://physics.about.com/od/glossary/g/temperature.htm http://physics.about.com/od/glossary/g/temperature.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperature http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperature "n the classical thermodynamic approach to temperature, temperature of an object varies with the speed of the particles it contains, raised to the second power. Therefore, temperature is tied directly to the mean kinetic energy of particles moving relative to the center of mass coordinates for that object. Temperature is an intensive variable because it is independent of the bulk amount of elementary entities contained inside, be they atoms, molecules, or electrons. In order for the temperature of a system to be defined, the system must be in thermodynamic equilibrium. Temperature may be considered to vary with position only if, for every point, there is a small neighborhood around that point can be treated as a thermodynamic system in equilibrium (i.e. local thermodynamic equilibrium). In the statistical thermodynamic approach, degrees of freedom are used instead of particles."
- wnoise 16y ago
  I'm afraid you've been misled by an oversimplified definition. That is not fundamenatally what temperature is, though it works out that way for many common systems. Temperature is a way to measure which way energy will flow between two objects at equilibrium. Equilibrium in this case means a maximum entropy distribution. Which way will energy flow so as to maximize this. Well, we just take the derivative of entropy with respect to energy transfer, and we get the equilibrium condition. T is (partial S / partial E)^(-1)

geuis 16y ago

http://physics.about.com/od/glossary/g/temperature.htm http://physics.about.com/od/glossary/g/temperature.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperature http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperature "n the classical thermodynamic approach to temperature, temperature of an object varies with the speed of the particles it contains, raised to the second power. Therefore, temperature is tied directly to the mean kinetic energy of particles moving relative to the center of mass coordinates for that object. Temperature is an intensive variable because it is independent of the bulk amount of elementary entities contained inside, be they atoms, molecules, or electrons. In order for the temperature of a system to be defined, the system must be in thermodynamic equilibrium. Temperature may be considered to vary with position only if, for every point, there is a small neighborhood around that point can be treated as a thermodynamic system in equilibrium (i.e. local thermodynamic equilibrium). In the statistical thermodynamic approach, degrees of freedom are used instead of particles."

wnoise 16y ago
I'm afraid you've been misled by an oversimplified definition. That is not fundamenatally what temperature is, though it works out that way for many common systems. Temperature is a way to measure which way energy will flow between two objects at equilibrium. Equilibrium in this case means a maximum entropy distribution. Which way will energy flow so as to maximize this. Well, we just take the derivative of entropy with respect to energy transfer, and we get the equilibrium condition. T is (partial S / partial E)^(-1)