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arXiv · 1805.05583

Gravity's universality: The physics underlying Tolman temperature gradients

Jessica Santiago·Matt Visser
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Abstract

We provide a simple and clear verification of the physical need for temperature gradients in equilibrium states when gravitational fields are present. Our argument will be built in a completely kinematic manner, in terms of the gravitational red-shift/blue-shift of light, together with a relativistic extension of Maxwell's two column argument. We conclude by showing that it is the universality of the gravitational interaction (the uniqueness of free-fall) that ultimately permits Tolman's equilibrium temperature gradients without any violation of the laws of thermodynamics.

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Jessica Santiago, Matt Visser. 2018-05-15. Gravity's universality: The physics underlying Tolman temperature gradients. https://doi.org/10.1142/s021827181846001x

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