# Schrodinger and thermodynamics

I heard that Schrodinger pointed out that (classical/statistical) thermodynamics is impaired by logical inconsistencies and conceptual ambiguities.

I am not sure why he said this and what he is talking about. Can anyone point some direction to study what he said?

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The following source discusses some inconsistency of quantum statistical mechanics indicated by Schroedinger (see the reference there): http://jvr.freewebpage.org/TableOfContents/Volume5/Issue2/Beretta4BdQProceedings%5B1%5D.pdf

The explanation is long and cannot be outlined here. I cannot be sure that Schroedinger did not discuss other issues with thermodynamics or statistical mechanics, so I cannot be sure this answer is useful for you.

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I think you need to be a little more specific as to the question. The inconsistency of classical mechanics with atomic physics is found by the attempted classical analysis of electron orbital behavior. If the electron orbit is modeled classically, then the electron should give off radiation in accordance to the Larmor formula.

It is this inconsistency that led Bohr to build his postulates of quantum mechanics in his model of the hydrogen atom. Schrodinger published his improvement in 1926 in four parts. Quantisation as a Problem of Proper Values, Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV. You can also find his discussion in Physical Review in 1926.

An additional good paper is the translation of the "Schrodinger's Cat Paradox".

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  ----- Paul J. Gans