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The unattainability of the absolute zero of temperature is proved by using Carnot’s theorem. Hence this unattainability is distinct from the Planck-Fer-mi statement of the Third Law of Thermodynamics that the entropy vanishes at T=0. It is shown that the isothermal compressibility KT is in general larger than the adiabatic compressibility Ks and the difference KT − Ks vanishes in the low temperature limit.

Reflection symmetry properties play important roles for the stability of crystal lattices in which electrons and phonons move. Based on the reflection symmetry properties, cubic, tetragonal, orthorhombic, rhombohedral (trigonal) and hexagonal crystal systems are shown to have three-dimensional (3D) k-spaces for the conduction electrons (“electrons”, “holes”). The basic stability condition for a general crystal is the availability of parallel material planes. The monoclinic crystal has a 1D k-space. The triclinic has no k-vectors for electrons, whence it is a true insulator. The monoclinic (triclinic) crystal has one (three) disjoint sets of 1D phonons, which stabilizes the lattice. Phonons’ motion is highly directional; no spherical phonon distributions are generated for monoclinic and triclinic crystal systems.

Following Ashcroft and Mermin, the conduction electrons (“electrons” or “holes”) are assumed to move as wave packets. Dirac’s theorem states that the quantum wave packets representing massive particles always move, following the classical mechanical laws of motion. It is shown here that the conduction electron in an orthorhombic crystal moves classical mechanically if the primitive rectangular-box unit cell is chosen as the wave packet, the condition requiring that the particle density is constant within the cell. All crystal systems except the triclinic system have k-vectors and energy bands. Materials are conducting if the Fermi energy falls on the energy bands. Energy bands and gaps are calculated by using the Kronig-Penny model and its 3D extension. The metal-insulator transition in VO2 is a transition between conductors having three-dimensional and one-dimensional k-vectors.

Based on the idea that different temperatures generate different conduction electron densities and the resulting carrier diffusion generates the thermal electromotive force (emf), a new formula for the Seebeck coefficient (thermopower) S is obtained: S=(2/3)ln2(qn)-1eFkBD0, where kB is the Boltzmann constant, and q, n, eF, D0 are charge, carrier density, Fermi energy, density of states at eF, respectively. Ohmic and Seebeck currents are fundamentally different in nature, and hence, cause significantly different behaviors. For example, the Seebeck coefficient S in copper (Cu) is positive, while the Hall coefficient is negative. In general, the Einstein relation between the conductivity and the diffusion coefficient does not hold for a multicarrier metal. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes are superconductors. The Seebeck coefficient S is shown to be proportional to the temperature T above the superconducting temperature Tc based on the model of Cooper pairs as carriers. The S follows a temperature behavior, , where Tg ’= constant, at the lowest temperatures.