Reversible Changes of State Riemannian Geometry

Previously (Section 9.3), we have alluded briefly to various distinguishable types of mathematical spaces with differing degrees of algebraic and geometrical structure. We now wish to clarify these distinctions more carefully, in order to introduce a new type of space that differs profoundly from more familiar Euclidean-like varieties. 

The definition of a mathematical space begins with the set of objects X, Y, Z,. .. that occupy the space (an intrinsically empty space being a physically problematic concept). Among the simplest algebraic structures that can characterize such objects is that of a linear manifold, also called a linear vector space, affine space, etc. By definition, such a manifold has only two operations— addition (X + Y) and multiplication by a scalar (AX)— resulting in each case in another element of the manifold. These operations have the usual distributive, 

As discussed in Section 9.3, a higher level of mathematical structure is achieved by defining an additional multiplication (X-Y) operation, that is, a rule that associates a (real) scalar with every pair of objects X, Y in the manifold. For Euclidean-like spaces, the scalar product has distributive, commutative, and positivity properties given by 

Each side of (13.4a-c) is an ordinary number, able to represent measurement of a spatial object (i.e., as some multiple of a chosen unit ). 

It is a remarkable fact that properties (13.4a-c) are necessary and sufficient to give Euclidean geometry. In other words, if any rule can be found that associates a number (say, (X Y)) with each pair of abstract objects ( vectors X), Y)) of the manifold in a way that satisfies (13.4a-c), then the manifold is isomorphic to a corresponding Euclidean vector space. We introduced a rather unconventional rule for the scalar products (X Y) [recognizing that (13.4a-c) are guaranteed by the laws of thermodynamics] to construct the abstract Euclidean metric space Ms for an equilibrium state of a system S, characterized by a metric matrix M. This geometry allows the thermodynamic state description to be considerably simplified, as demonstrated in Chapters 9-12. 

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