1
Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / How does entropy work?
« on: 03/04/2014 07:24:13 »
Can someone please help me to understand this concept becasue it seem counter intuitive to me (ie - entropy with regard to the future state of the universe).
A dictionary definition is this: lack of order or predictability; gradual decline into disorder.
The problem as I understand it (and this is where i think I need correcting) is that, if all objects and elements break down into their constituent parts (atoms etc), there will be chaos?
How is this possible?
Surely if everything is equal then eventually everything will be evenly spaced and have no effect on anything else?. This will be absolutely the opposite of chaos wont it?
You could argue that the current state of things are more chaotic couldn't you? I mean, isn't the basis for quantum science that it is unpredictable?
gradual decline into disorder - If everything is placed around an infinite space without having any effect on any other part, how is that disorder? There is order in the fact that atoms (or whatever we are talking about) are all predictably floating around because we know they cant/wont interact.
And since we dont know the future of the universe anyway (for example an expanding univers), how can we predict entropy as its final state?
I'm really confused on this, please help me to understand
A dictionary definition is this: lack of order or predictability; gradual decline into disorder.
The problem as I understand it (and this is where i think I need correcting) is that, if all objects and elements break down into their constituent parts (atoms etc), there will be chaos?
How is this possible?
Surely if everything is equal then eventually everything will be evenly spaced and have no effect on anything else?. This will be absolutely the opposite of chaos wont it?
You could argue that the current state of things are more chaotic couldn't you? I mean, isn't the basis for quantum science that it is unpredictable?
gradual decline into disorder - If everything is placed around an infinite space without having any effect on any other part, how is that disorder? There is order in the fact that atoms (or whatever we are talking about) are all predictably floating around because we know they cant/wont interact.
And since we dont know the future of the universe anyway (for example an expanding univers), how can we predict entropy as its final state?
I'm really confused on this, please help me to understand