Association mechanism objections

Statistical mechanics is the branch of physical science that studies properties of macroscopic systems from the microscopic starting point. For definiteness we focus on the dynamics ofan A-particle system as our underlying microscopic description. In classical mechanics the set of coordinates and momenta, (r, p ) represents a state of the system, and the microscopic representation of observables is provided by the dynamical variables, v4(r, p, Z). The equivalent quantum mechanical objects are the quantum state [/ ofthe system and the associated expectation value Aj = of the operator that corresponds to the classical variable A. The corresponding observables can be thought of as time averages... 

Descriptions of Physical Objects, Processes, or Abstract Concepts. Eor example, pumps can be described as devices that move fluids. They have input and output ports, need a source of energy, and may have mechanical components such as impellers or pistons. Similarly, the process of flow can be described as a coherent movement of a Hquid, gas, or coUections of soHd particles. Flow is characterized by direction and rate of movement (flow rate). An example of an abstract concept is chemical reaction, which can be described in terms of reactants and conditions. Descriptions such as these can be viewed as stmctured coUections of atomic facts about some common entity. In cases where the descriptions are known to be partial or incomplete, the representation scheme has to be able to express the associated uncertainty. 

In Fig. 1, various elements involved with the development of detailed chemical kinetic mechanisms are illustrated. Generally, the objective of this effort is to predict macroscopic phenomena, e.g., species concentration profiles and heat release in a chemical reactor, from the knowledge of fundamental chemical and physical parameters, together with a mathematical model of the process. Some of the fundamental chemical parameters of interest are the thermochemistry of species, i.e., standard state heats of formation (A//f(To)), and absolute entropies (S(Tq)), and temperature-dependent specific heats (Cp(7)), and the rate parameter constants A, n, and E, for the associated elementary reactions (see Eq. (1)). As noted above, evaluated compilations exist for the determination of these parameters. Fundamental physical parameters of interest may be the Lennard-Jones parameters (e/ic, c), dipole moments (fi), polarizabilities (a), and rotational relaxation numbers (z ,) that are necessary for the calculation of transport parameters such as the viscosity (fx) and the thermal conductivity (k) of the mixture and species diffusion coefficients (Dij). These data, together with their associated uncertainties, are then used in modeling the macroscopic behavior of the chemically reacting system. The model is then subjected to sensitivity analysis to identify its elements that are most important in influencing predictions. 

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