DIFFICULTY AND POSSIBILITY OF KINETIC THEORY OF QUANTUM-MECHANICAL SYSTEMS,
Abstract
In kinetic theory which intends to treat the evolution, in time and in configuration space, of a system not in thermal equilibrium, it is necessary to consider correlative behaviors of constituent particles or correlations among elementary behaviors of the system. Correlative behaviors are conceivable only when each elementary behavior is distinguishable from the others. In the quantum-mechanical formalism, first, the uncertainty principle prohibits a particle to follow a completely prescribable path; second, due to the symmetry (bosons) or antisymmetry (fermions) principle, each particle exists at many states, as many as similar particles in a system, at the same time. Therefore, it is impossible to consider kinetic theory as in accordance with the quantum-mechanical formalism. Nevertheless, evidences of kinetic-theoretical processes occurring in quantum-mechanical systems are pointed out. Also evidences of limited range (in time and in configuration space) of validity of the symmetry or antisymmetry principle are indicated. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1969
- Accession Number
- AD0695410
Entities
People
- Toyoki Koga
Organizations
- New York University Tandon School of Engineering