Macroscopic form of the first law of thermodynamics for an adiabatically evolving non-singular self-gravitating fluid

Abstract

We emphasize that the pressure related work appearing in a general relativistic first law of thermodynamics should involve {\em proper volume element} rather than coordinate volume element. This point is highlighted by considering both local energy momentum conservation equation as well as particle number conservation equation. It is also emphasized that we are considering here a {\em non-singular} fluid governed by purely classical general relativity. Therefore, we are not considering here any semi-classical or quantum gravity which apparently suggests thermodynamical properties even for a (singular) black hole. Having made such a clarification, we formulate a global first law of thermodynamics for an adiabatically evolving spherical perfect fluid. It may be verified that such a global first law of thermodynamics, {\em for a non-singular fluid}, has not been formulated earlier.Comment: 4 pages; Published in Foundations of Physics (2011, online