IMPACT

["Ellis D. Cooper" <xtalv1@netropolis.net>]

Understanding and maybe even solving problems in energy conservation,
energy transduction and global warming depend in part on advances in
chemical thermodynamics. But chemical thermodynamics is an old and
difficult branch of mathematical science. My book on mathematical
mechanics tries to take baby steps towards a categorical chemical
thermodynamics.

For example, there exists a monoidal functor ("Hess's Law") which
assigns enthalpy of formation to mixtures and enthalpy of
transformation to reactions. One-, two-, or three-dimensional bodies
are connected by bodies that conduct certain substances, and which
may themselves be connected by bodies conducting other substances.
Substances include chemicals, charge, volume, momentum, and entropy,
and any flowing substance carries energy. The theory of substances is
an axiomatic theory including an Energy Axiom ("First Law of
Thermodynamics") and an Entropy Axiom ("Second Law of Thermodynamics").

In my dreams a grown up categorical chemical thermodynamics may
invoke higher-dimensional categories and other areas of current
seemingly abstract research.

Ellis D. Cooper



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