[ukmicky (OP)]

is there a maximum temperature that nothing can exceed, and what determines how hot something can get before it has to change into another form

[neilep]

Michael..how ya doing matey ?...hope you don't think I'm treading on your toes but I did ask a very similar question a while ago , just goes to prove that great minds think alike eh ?http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=908  however, however,I did not follow up my query with your secondary one...and that just makes your question even more lovlier handsome and bold.....I'm sure the answer will ensue....

cheers chum


Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[ukmicky (OP)]

Hello bigfoot no need to apologise. You got thier first, this time.
Great minds think alike. []

[David Sparkman]

At the atomic level there is no such thing as temperature, only energy or lack of energy. So at a certain energy atoms shed electrons and become a plasma. At higher energy atoms come apart, and at still higher energy, we think that electrons, protons and neutrons come apart. So, no there is no known maximum temperature. But I have heard rumors that the big bang was very hot, not that I was there...

David

[finchbeak]

According to the Kinetic-Molecular Theory, there is no upper limit to temperature (although there is a very well-defined lower limit of 0 Kelvin).  Temperature is an expression of the average kinetic energy of particles in a sample.  Faster particles = higher temperature.
Of course, the K-M Theory predates both quantum and relativity theories....
It occurs to me that, if all particles in a sample are travelling at light speed (and therefore can't travel any faster) then the sample would have maximum kinetic energy and thus maximum temperature.  Nevermind that any such sample would be impossible to attain.

OK, now I'm confused.  Can a proper physicist please help elucidate?

[gsmollin]

Particles in a sample can't travel at light speed. However, they could travel arbitrarily close, at least in SR.

In QM, there is the Planck temperature, defined here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planck_temperature
According to that, the hottest temperature is 1.4 x 10 ^32 Kelvins.

[simeonie]

Hey everyone. Is it true that at... oooo cnt remember, something degrees kelvin is it 0 degrees kelvin?, everything disapears?

It is because the particles have no energy to move so everything is still and just.... well disapears. Am I right? Please correct me if not!

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Time is like a knife..... slowly and relentlesly.... cuts the cored of life.

-__- my website!!!!
http://www.simeonie.co.uk
has forums too!
Think about it! lolz

[gsmollin]

Nothing has ever been at 0 Kelvin, to observe if it disappears. However, there is no theoretical justification for this idea. Temperature is a measure of just one kind of energy. In atom or elementary particle still maintain their other forms of energy, without thermal. For instance, electric charge is still present in an atom, independent of its temperature. The rest mass is still there. The orbitals of an atom would remain without thermal energy. There may by other phases of matter below our present limits of refrigeration, with some surprising properties, however I have no reason to believe that invisibility is one of them.

[Razor]

I believe there is no maximum temperature that nothing can exceed as long as there's something to be able to create it,the big bang could of been as much as 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,00...etc. as long as there was something to create that mass of heat

"Caution: Cape does not enable user to fly."
-Batman costume warning label

[Razor]

Although absolute zero is at -273 degrees <---This was just an add on to what i said yesterday.

"Please provide the date of your death."
-from an IRS letter

[gsmollin]

quote:Originally posted by Razor

I believe there is no maximum temperature that nothing can exceed as long as there's something to be able to create it,the big bang could of been as much as 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,00...etc. as long as there was something to create that mass of heat

"Caution: Cape does not enable user to fly."
-Batman costume warning label

In classical physics, you are correct. However, because classical physics does not quantify energy, it actually predicts a sort of explosion of high temperature energy, which was called "the ultraviolet catastrophy". This problem motivated the first quantum mechanical explanation of electromagnetic radiation, and solved the blackbody radiation problem. QM makes many shocking predictions, and an upper limit to thermal energy is not the most shocking. There is also an upper limit to elementary mass, and a lower limit to space.

I think the warning label was originally on a Superman costume. Likely, all caped costumes carry that warning now.

[Razor]

I did'nt know that Thanks for the info.

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