After three days of programming a solver in flex, I finally have the time and energy to update this blog. This post is actually long overdue: My classmates in Thermodynamics will probably recognize this.
Don’t let the word thermodynamics scare you. It’s just a title given to a field of study relating to how heat behaves. More or less. It’s governed by four laws, all of which pretty much makes logical sense, even if you don’t understand the math of it. I won’t explain to you all the laws, as only one of them is relevant in this Mad Scientist Moment: The Second Law of Thermodynamics. (Cue dramatic reverb).
You see, I have found the Ultimate Weapon. The hand of Death. The destroyer of worlds. It will be able to destroy anything it touches, even diamond. Nothing is safe, my friends. Nothing. You might as well give up and kill yourselves. But before I reveal my evil discovery, I will explain.
The Second Law
“The change in the entropy of the Universe (denoted by: ?Suniverse) is greater than or equal to zero.” Translated into english, it merely means that the Universe either stays the same, or wears down. It never… wears “up”. If you look at anything in this world, you’ll realize that nothing increases in “order” over time. A broken watch doesn’t turn into a fixed watch. That pile of dog poo you just stepped on a while ago won’t go back into a T-bone steak. And that T-bone steak certainly won’t turn into a living, breathing cow.
“But Levi, the dog poo can turn into fertilizer, in which a plant can sprout. Isn’t the plant more ‘orderly’ than the poo?”
Very good question, but there is a very simple explanation: the Sun. The sun introduces energy into the story and allows for the plant to grow. Without the sun, the plant will definitely NOT grow. And what do you think will happen to the sun after millions of years? It’ll turn into a Red Giant and then poof, goodbye. The same will go for the other stars in the universe, as with everything else.
Before you start roll your eyes and start saying that I’m calling just saying that the Ultimate Weapon is the natural wearing-down of things, you are so very wrong. Please, allow me to continue. We are almost there.
The Point
Now, math is unavoidable. Don’t worry, it isn’t complicated at all. It’s simple arithmetic.
?Ssystem + ?Ssurroundings = ?S total
This is like saying that the change in disorder of the dog poo and the plant seed (that isn’t growing), when added to the change in disorder of the wind, the sun, the people walking around the poo and plant seed, and the rest of the universe, is equal to the change in disorder of the universe. Digest. Next equation.
To make things easier, let’s make the “system” a ball. Since ?S = Q/T (Q = heat energy; T = temperature in Kelvins), we can replace ?Ssystem with:
Q/Tball + ?Ssurroundings = ?S total
Suppose we make the Temperature of the ball: zero Kelvins. Recall that any number divided by zero will become infinity. So the ?S of the ball will become infinity. Also recall that any number added to infinity will yield infinity. So, we have the following equation:
INFINITY = ?Stotal
Recall that entropy is a measure of the disorderliness of something. The higher the value, the more disorderly. (That is why the ?S of the universe is greater than or equal to zero) Since the operator “?” indicates a change between state 1 and state 2, you can say that:
?S = S2 – S1
And if ?S = infinity, that must mean that the “newer” state, S2 has a value of infinity. State 2 has infinite disorder.
You all can see where this is going, yes?
If anything, anything at all, is cooled to zero Kelvins, it can be made to destroy anything it touches.
Sadly, as of this moment, the only way I can think of that can make anything cool down to zero Kelvins is for the Universe to… end. o_O
Strictly speaking, any number divided by zero will yield “undefined”.
The more proper way, perhaps, of expressing that is the limit of a number divided by x as x approaches 0 from the right is infinity — but that would be too verbose for the purposes of your explanation.
Agreed, it would become undefined, not infinity. =P Dividing by zero breaks our man-made mathematical system.
Alternatively, going by the equation, if system entropy is equal to infinity (due to the ball being in said system), and the ball itself is infinity…
infinity minus infinity is equal to zero.
In other words, S1 would actually have NO entropy, and exist forever. =P
So, arguably, the moment you make something reach zero kelvin, the rest of the universe is preserved for the ever? =P
*just reread* …okay, well technically, either S2 is infinity, or total S is infinity. >.>
At any rate, we still don’t have any time function in the equation, so even if you do something like that, there’s no guarantee to how fast it works, I think. =P
Okay, back to being a med student now. I’m no physicist, I’m a physician!
You guys get the point regarding infinity, so please, stop beating the dead horse.
You’re confusing the system entropy and the surrounding entropy.
The ball itself is the system. So total entropy will not be zero.
Ah, right, I get it. However…
Given, Ball/system entropy is equal to infnity.
?Ssystem + ?Ssurroundings = ?S total
?S = S2 – S1
“The change in the entropy of the Universe (denoted by: ?Suniverse) is greater than or equal to zero.”
Universal entropy is (for our purposes), equal only to zero or infinity, since we have an infinite variable in our equation, all other variables can just go take a hike because they pale before the might of infinity. (Infinity IS a positive nonnegative thing, right?)
Thus, either:
(infinity) + ?Ssurroundings = (infinity)
OR
(infinity) + ?Ssurroundings = (zero, or equivalent number because bloody infinity is on the other side)
In the first case
Infinity – infinity = ?Ssurroundings
0 = ?Ssurroundings
Therefore, perpetuation of everything around it, because no entropy means no change in (dis)orderliness. Either it’s already disorderly, or for some reason, it’s really rather stuck there. Either way, perpetuated in its current state.
In the second case
Infinity – zero or insignifcant # = ?Ssurroundings
Infinity = ?Ssurroundings
Therefore, surroundings have infinite entropy, while the universe is static, or not quite entropic as the single object.
…
…
crap, I’m lost. That’s it. Back to compiling the bloody case. =|
Ah, no. I think you misunderstand the “greater than or equal to 0″ part. It’s just talking about the possible range of values. In other words, ?S can never EVER be negative.
…ah, feck, right, I forgot to carry the minus sign. You’re right, the universe is fucked. XD
I gasp. :))
But then I ask: at zero K, no energy should exist(?) within that system, including whatever forces that previously held the matter together. If such an entity is to be made a weapon, in what manner will it exist, and how must it be contained?
Secondly, what is the mechanism used by such entity to “destroy” other matter? Is it to also render infinite wear of matter to other materials, as if making its state contagious to others? If so, how will this domino effect be controlled?
1. Yes, no energy should exist. I think it’s called a Bose-Einsteinian condensate.
2. Yes, by making its state contagious to others. :P
And IT WON’T BE CONTROLLED! MUAHAHAHAHAHA
Therefore, the moment any material in the universe reaches the state of infinite disorderliness, the universe is eventually doomed within perhaps seconds. Ergo, any time that the ?S of anything reaches infinity (or, anytime when any matter ultimately freezes to death) – that event shares a one-to-one relationship to the time we all DIE. XD
Yes, that is a distinct possibility. lol
Hey look the comment area changed! :p
Hmm o.O ang dami mong iniisip :)) Joke. :p
And since I’m too sabaw to find anything intellectual to say, I will say this.
But the plant does grow. With a bit of water. O.o Not well though. :p
Maybe, but the water exists outside the system. If you include the water in the system and nothing else, the plant will eventually die. It’s all about defining the system.
And to be precise about stuff, plants may grow without light for a certain time. In such condition, regulatory mechanisms act on it such that “plastids” that should turn into chloroplasts turn into “etioplasts”, and the plant will bear a yellowish color instead, will grow faster to “reach” any light that might be just there above it. :)
Even if plants may grow without light for a certain time, it will eventually start breaking down, if you take a closed system, which is what people seem to be ignoring right now.
Perhaps this in itself is telling; rather than a means, it is an end. (or more appropriately, the end?)
I know, right? XD
THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER
So, is the problem insoluble in all conceivable circumstances?
;)
IKNOWRIGHT?
Multivac for the win!
NO PROBLEM IS INSOLUBLE IN ALL CONCEIVABLE CIRCUMSTANCES
Naisip ko lang. :)) Movie in the making? Lol. XD
lol. ok. na curious lang ako, tas nabasa ko siya. nakakatawa.:)) nothing left to comment but that.:P
feeling ko mas masaya ka levi pag nag chem ka nalang! hahaha.=))
You physicists suck. Stop wasting time explaining it. Just WEAPONIZE the damn thing already.