Theory Colloquium: Scaling Down the Laws of Thermodynamics Sommerfeld Lecture Series (ASC)

Thermodynamics provides a robust conceptual framework and
set of laws that govern the exchange of energy and matter.
Although these laws were originally articulated for macroscopic
objects, nanoscale systems also exhibit “thermodynamic-like”
behavior – for instance, biomolecular motors convert chemical
fuel into mechanical work. To what extent can the laws of
thermodynamics be scaled down to apply to individual
microscopic systems, and what new features emerge at the
nanoscale? I will describe some of the recent progress and
challenges associated with addressing these questions.