> all perfectly crystalline materials have zero entropy at absolute zero.
Doesn't that violate the second law of thermodynamics, though?
> all perfectly crystalline materials have zero entropy at absolute zero.
Doesn't that violate the second law of thermodynamics, though?
-Govtcheez
[email protected]
No. The second law states that the entropy of the 'Universe' is increasing; the Universe can be regarded as the system under observation (the 'material') plus the surroundings (everything else). A reduction in entropy of the system is bought at the cost of an increase in the entropy of the surroundings such that the total change (system + surroundings) in entropy is positive ie. provided the total entropy increases there is no violation of the second law. In any event, it's a theoretical concept and not practically obtainable since the third law conditions have to be met, namely absolute zero must be attained (which requires an infinite number of steps) and the material in question must also be perfectly crystalline (which is tricky to achieve, to say the least).
CProgramming FAQ
Caution: this person may be a carrier of the misinformation virus.
We've had things warmer than the hottest stars here? How? (I'm not disbelieving you, I just don't know).Originally Posted by Sang-drax
Do not make direct eye contact with me.
Probably created in a lab.
-Govtcheez
[email protected]
Coldest temp achieved: 450 picokelvin
http://cua.mit.edu/ketterle_group/Pr...picokelvin.htm
Hottest temp achieved: 10^13 K
http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2003/...Gillyard.shtml
Coldest temp observed: 1 K
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/enc...ang_Nebula.htm
Last edited by MadCow257; 05-17-2005 at 06:37 PM.
