What is the concept of dichotomy and continuum ?Continum defination
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The concept of continuum is used in macroscopic approach of thermodynamics and not in microscopic approach.
Matter is supposed to be composed of molecules with intermolecular spacing in between. In microscopic approach where effect of forces is to be observed on individual molecules and this study at molecular level is put together statistically to observe it's effect on aggregate, this discontinuity is of importance due to intermolecular spacing and thus the system under consideration is not continuous.
In macroscopic approach, where gross effect is of importance, the system is taken to be continuous. As this is an assumed state of continuum in substance so the order of analysis or scale of analysis becomes very important. Thus, in case the scale of analysis is large enough and the discontinuities are of the order of intermolecular spacing or mean free path then due to relative order of discontinuity being negligible it may be treated continuous.
Matter is supposed to be composed of molecules with intermolecular spacing in between. In microscopic approach where effect of forces is to be observed on individual molecules and this study at molecular level is put together statistically to observe it's effect on aggregate, this discontinuity is of importance due to intermolecular spacing and thus the system under consideration is not continuous.
In macroscopic approach, where gross effect is of importance, the system is taken to be continuous. As this is an assumed state of continuum in substance so the order of analysis or scale of analysis becomes very important. Thus, in case the scale of analysis is large enough and the discontinuities are of the order of intermolecular spacing or mean free path then due to relative order of discontinuity being negligible it may be treated continuous.
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