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ffleming7
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Can absolute zero ever be achieved? I this a theoretical kinetic energy?
nicksauce said:Isn't the point of the third law of thermodynamics that it is impossible to reach absolute zero?
Danger said:Correct, at least the way that I learned the 4 laws.
1) No matter how hard you try, the best that you can do is break even.
2) You can only break even at absolute zero.
3) Absolute zero is impossible to attain.
4) No matter how hard you shake it, the last drop always goes down your pants.
Danger said:Correct, at least the way that I learned the 4 laws.
1) No matter how hard you try, the best that you can do is break even.
2) You can only break even at absolute zero.
3) Absolute zero is impossible to attain.
4) No matter how hard you shake it, the last drop always goes down your pants.
nightshade123 said:if absolute zero is obtained the universe will collapse into itself...
Danger said:I'm not so sure about the collapsing part, but the universe as a whole is still permeated by the cosmic microwave backgound 'noise' from the Big Bang. That's something like 3 degrees K.. To attain absolute zero, you'd have to isolate a container of some type, and then pump out those 3 degrees. I'm not saying categorically that it's impossible, because technology continues to take me by surprise, but our current methods aren't up to it.
PiratePhysicist said:Even if it wasn't it just means that you'll start slowly cooling other stuff too.
Post edited appropriately.Danger said:I really think that it's time for one of the 'gurus' to get involved. Someone with professional knowledge such as Zapper Z or Astronuc can probably put this thing to bed without us having to speculate further.
RonL said:Having used vortex tube coolers, and finding a refrigeration manuel that explained in detail how they work, my question is, would the very center of a vortex of high velocity produce a very small center point of zero condition ?
PiratePhysicist said:I don't remember the the Laws of Thermodynamics forbidding absolute zero, but either way it's still impossible to attain absolute zero. To do so would be in violation of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle as if a particle is at absolute zero you would be able to learn it's precise position and velocity.
greeniguana00 said:Well, it would be a violation of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle if you could detect the existence of such a particle. I don't see how its sole existence would violate it.
ffleming7 said:Can absolute zero ever be achieved? I this a theoretical kinetic energy?
Isn't the definition of absolute zero when an ideal gas exerts zero pressure and so the temperature is derived indirectly and so would not be a violation of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle ?greeniguana00 said:Well, it would be a violation of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle if you could detect the existence of such a particle. I don't see how its sole existence would violate it.
Also, thermodynamics seems to be a field of probability. While energy tends to flow from high to low on average, there are cases where by pure chance energy will flow in the opposite direction. Perhaps with the enormous number of particles in the universe, one has been just lucky enough to lose all its energy.
bassplayer142 said:One thing I never understood about absolute zero or even near it. Say you had a gas that was near abs zero. Since the particles are moving so slow wouldn't they be closer to the ground to a point that the gas is just a pile of single atoms on the floor? Considering that there is not energy for the gas to rise.