Onsager

Lars Onsager was a scientist who made important contributions to understanding how energy and particles move in systems near equilibrium. His most famous work, the Onsager reciprocal relations, reveal that certain processes—like heat and electrical flow—are interconnected in a symmetrical way. This means the way energy spontaneously transfers in one direction is related to the reverse process. These principles help scientists analyze things like thermodynamics, electrical conductance, and chemical reactions, providing a deeper understanding of how systems behave when they are close to, but not fully, in equilibrium.