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Can someone list how and why these 3 are related to each other or have similar characteristics?
3 flows: Electron, Fluid, and Thermal
- Thread starter byeh2004
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I can't really think of a simple explanation. The idea behind all of them is that something is driven somewhere by something to be lower in something... lol
Current flows in the direction of lowest voltage.
Fluid flows in the direction of lowest pressure.
Heat flows in the direction of lowest heat.
So current, fluid, and heat movement are driven by a desire to move to a lower "pushing or pulling" factor. You could think about it in terms of entropy and equillibrium as well. Everything in the universe wants to occupy the lowest possible energy state. Electricity wants to have the lowest potential, fluids want to be at the lowest pressure, and heat wants to be at the most distributed arrangement.
Current flows in the direction of lowest voltage.
Fluid flows in the direction of lowest pressure.
Heat flows in the direction of lowest heat.
So current, fluid, and heat movement are driven by a desire to move to a lower "pushing or pulling" factor. You could think about it in terms of entropy and equillibrium as well. Everything in the universe wants to occupy the lowest possible energy state. Electricity wants to have the lowest potential, fluids want to be at the lowest pressure, and heat wants to be at the most distributed arrangement.
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Yes, the underlying concept is that of gradients, and the potential energy associated with them.
Equilibrium is the absence of free energy available to do work. Electron gradients, pressure gradients, and thermal gradients all provide SPONTANEOUS (happens without input of energy, given enough time) movements that can be coupled with NON-SPONTANEOUS processes.
Equilibrium is the absence of free energy available to do work. Electron gradients, pressure gradients, and thermal gradients all provide SPONTANEOUS (happens without input of energy, given enough time) movements that can be coupled with NON-SPONTANEOUS processes.
