state function

Measurable characteristic of the current state of a thermodynamic system, independent of the history of the system

EntityQ230937

Also known as thermodynamic state variable · thermodynamic function of state · thermodynamic state property · thermodynamic property of system · physical property (of thermodynamic system) · property of a thermodynamic system

Subclass of: intensive or extensive property
, state variable
, physical quantity
Part of: thermodynamic state

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

In the thermodynamics of equilibrium, a state function, function of state, or point function for a thermodynamic system is a function relating several state variables or state quantities that depend only on the current equilibrium thermodynamic state of the system, not the path which the system has taken to reach that state. A state function describes equilibrium states of a system, thus also describing the type of system. A state variable is typically a state function so the determination of other state variable values at an equilibrium state also determines the value of the state variable as the state function at that state. The ideal gas law is a good example. In this law, one state variable is a function of other state variables so is regarded as a state function. A state function could also describe the number of a certain type of atoms or molecules in a gaseous, liquid, or solid form in a heterogeneous or homogeneous mixture, or the amount of energy required to create such a system or change the system into a different equilibrium state.

Overview

All data

17 statements · 18% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Opposite of: process function
Has list: list of thermodynamic properties
Studied by: thermodynamics
Different from: state variable

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10 identifiers linking state function across the web's reference databases

Data quality

statements

18%

externally sourced

Source last edited July 14, 2026. AIDB refreshes this page daily.

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AIDB. (2026). state function (Q230937). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/state-function-Q230937