Biophysics

Kirchhoff's loop rule and principle of maximum entropy production

February 5, 2006.

Lecturer

Dr. Sc. PAŠKO ŽUPANOVIĆ
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Kinesiology, Split

Date and time

Thursday, February 16, 2006 at 3:00 PM

Location

Lecture Hall, Wing I, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička 54, Zagreb

Abstract

Kirchhoff's loop rule is a standard part of the science of electricity. In this lecture, we will consider the problem of branching currents in planar, linear, electrical networks from a thermodynamic point of view. Thermodynamically, an electrical network through which electric currents flow is a system in a non-equilibrium state. In the case of stationary currents, it is shown that the currents branch in such a way that the energy dissipation is as high as possible. This result is in accordance with the principle of maximum entropy production (MEP). According to this principle, the greatest possible entropy production is precisely in the stationary state of the system.

*Joint colloquium of the Croatian Biophysical Society and the Theoretical Chemistry Group (IRB)

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