Definition
The Jarzynski equality (JE) is an equation in statistical mechanics that relates free energy differences between two states and the irreversible work along an ensemble of trajectories joining the same states. It is named after the physicist Christopher Jarzynski who derived it in 1996. Fundamentally, the Jarzynski equality points to the fact that the fluctuations in the work satisfy certain constraints separately from the average value of the work that occurs in some process.
Related concepts
Boltzmann constantBoltzmann distributionBrownian motionChristopher JarzynskiCrooks fluctuation theoremCumulantEquationFluctuation-dissipation theoremFluctuation theoremHamiltonian systemHeat reservoirJensen's inequalityLos Alamos National LaboratoryMicrostate (statistical mechanics)Nonequilibrium partition identityQuasistatic processStatistical mechanicsThermodynamic equilibriumThermodynamic free energyThermodynamicsUniversity of MarylandUniversity of WashingtonViscosity
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