Article
Article
Boltzmann transport equation
Article By:
Fuchs, Ronald Department of Physics, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.
Last reviewed:January 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.090000
An equation which is used to study the nonequilibrium behavior of a collection of particles. In a state of equilibrium a gas of particles has uniform composition and constant temperature and density. If the gas is subjected to a temperature difference or disturbed by externally applied electric, magnetic, or mechanical forces, it will be set in motion and the temperature, density, and composition may become functions of position and time; in other words, the gas moves out of equilibrium. The Boltzmann equation applies to a quantity known as the distribution function, which describes this nonequilibriium state mathematically and specifies how quickly and in what manner the state of the gas changes when the disturbing forces are varied. See also: Kinetic theory of matter; Statistical mechanics
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