Gravitation, Thermodynamics, and Quantum Theory
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
2010-04-06 v1 High Energy Physics - Theory
Abstract
During the past 30 years, research in general relativity has brought to light strong hints of a very deep and fundamental relationship between gravitation, thermodynamics, and quantum theory. The most striking indication of such a relationship comes from black hole thermodynamics, where it appears that certain laws of black hole mechanics are, in fact, simply the ordinary laws of thermodynamics applied to a system containing a black hole. This article will review the present status of black hole thermodynamics and will discuss some of the related unresolved issues concerning gravitation, thermodynamics, and quantum theory.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.gr-qc/9901033,
title = {Gravitation, Thermodynamics, and Quantum Theory},
author = {Robert M. Wald},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:gr-qc/9901033},
year = {2010}
}
Comments
24 pages, plain latex, to appear in special ``Millennium Issue'' of Class. Quant. Grav