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On the work distribution for the adiabatic compression of a dilute classical gas

Gavin E. Crooks·Christopher Jarzynski
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Abstract

We consider the adiabatic and quasi-static compression of a dilute classical gas, confined in a piston and initially equilibrated with a heat bath. We find that the work performed during this process is described statistically by a gamma distribution. We use this result to show that the model satisfies the non-equilibrium work and fluctuation theorems, but not the flucutation-dissipation relation. We discuss the rare but dominant realizations that contribute most to the exponential average of the work, and relate our results to potentially universal work distributions.

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Gavin E. Crooks, Christopher Jarzynski. 2006-03-06. On the work distribution for the adiabatic compression of a dilute classical gas. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.75.021116

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