The Statistical Mechanical Theory of Transport Processes I. General Theory

Abstract

Outlines are sketched for a general statistical mechanical theory of transport processes; e.g., diffusion, heat transfer, fluid flow, and response to time-dependent external force fields. In the case of gases the theory leads to the Maxwell-Boltzmann integro-differential equation of transport. In the case of liquids and solutions, it leads to a generalized theory of Brownian motion, in which the friction constant is explicitly related to the intermolecular forces acting in the system. Specific applications are postponed for treatment in later articles.