Uncertainty, Entropy, and the Statistical Mechanics of Microscopic Systems

Richard Blankenbecler; M. Hossein Partovi

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.54.373

Uncertainty, Entropy, and the Statistical Mechanics of Microscopic Systems

Richard Blankenbecler and M. Hossein Partovi

Phys. Rev. Lett. 54, 373 – Published 4 February 1985

Abstract

Noting that quantum measurements are in general incomplete, we develop, starting from a recent entropic formulation of uncertainty, a maximum uncertainty principle to define the statistical mechanics of microscopic systems. The resulting ensemble entropy coincides with the expression of von Neumann, thus providing a unified, quantum basis for statistical physics of all systems. Examples involving momentum and position measurements are discussed.

Received 7 September 1984

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.54.373

Authors & Affiliations

Richard Blankenbecler

Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305

M. Hossein Partovi^*

Department of Physics, California State University, Sacramento, California 95819, and Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305