Phase Transitions

Full Title or Meme

Phase Transitions occur when a substance changes from one state (phase) to another due to variations in temperature, pressure, or other external factors.

Context

In order to study phase transitions at the microscopic level, we need to understand the behavior of many "objects," that is to say atoms or molecules or tiny magnets: those elementary things that-using a more general context than that of traditional physics-we can call "agents." These agents interact among themselves, exchanging information and modifying their behavior according to the information they receive.

In the context of physics, "exchanging information" is equivalent to "being subject to forces." But generally speaking-given that the model can be applied to many fields of study, from physics and biology to economics and so on-there are many objects whose behavior depends on the behavior of other objects that are more or less in proximity to them, given that objects that are too far apart from each other cannot exchange information.

The physical quantities that we can measure at a macroscopic level, such as the temperature of water, depend of microscopic agents, for example the velocity of the molecules, which We com on the behavior

Agent Interactions

Agents exchange information through various mechanisms:

• Direct Interactions: For example, atoms in a crystal lattice are connected by bonds, and their vibrations affect neighboring atoms.
• Indirect Interactions: Agents can influence each other even without direct contact. Think of how water molecules in a glass collectively form a cohesive liquid due to their mutual interactions.
• Emergent Behavior: The collective behavior of agents emerges from their interactions. For instance, the alignment of tiny magnets in a ferromagnetic material leads to macroscopic magnetization.

Beyond Traditional Physics

• The concept of “agents” allows us to generalize beyond traditional physics. It applies not only to physical systems but also to social networks, neural networks, and more.
• In complex systems, agents interact, adapt, and collectively exhibit emergent phenomena.