Cross-phenimenological coefficients: X. Transport processes in metals

Abstract

Experimental data on thermo-electric power have been analyzed in terms of the non-equilibrium thermodynamic theory of the phenomena. It is found that the phenomenological coefficients are temperature dependent. Free electron gas theory has been used for estimating the coefficients in homogeneous conductors and thermocouples. Onsager's relations are obeyed showing thereby that free electron theory is consistent with the thermodynamic theory. It is shown that the theory correctly predicts the temperature dependence of thermoelectric power.