TITLE:
Entropy of a Free Quantum Particle
AUTHORS:
Jian-Ping Peng
KEYWORDS:
Entropy Generation; Quantum Thermodynamic Systems
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Modern Physics,
Vol.3 No.12,
December
21,
2012
ABSTRACT: The time-dependent entropy of a single free quantum particle in the non-relativistic regime is studied in detail for the process started from a fully coherent quantum state to thermodynamic equilibrium with its surroundings at a finite temperature. It is shown that the entropy at the end of the process converges to a universal constant, as a result of thermal interaction.