Temperature: Absolute infinity

In summary, while temperature is average kinetic energy of a substance, the maximum possible temperature is the theoretical limit defined by the constraints of Einstein's relativity.
  • #1
Mephisto
93
0
I heard somewhere that it is a matter of debate whether or not there is an absolutely highest temperature, analogous to absolute zero. This puzzled me because I thought that this is a direct consequence of Einstein's relativity:

Temperature is average kinetic energy of a substance. But since the particles in the substance are limited by the highest speed, the speed of light, doesn't it make sense that your substance has to have a theoretical limit defined by this constraint?
 
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  • #3
Nice link montoyas.

What you have to ask Mephisto is "what is the highest velocity given these constriants"

It's the "given these constraints" bit that usually tie people up. If you constrain the construct to traveling at less than or equal to light speed, then perhaps. But ask yourself this. If such a construct falls into a White Hole and pops out on the far side of the Universe, what was it's speed? Was it the relative speed of the item, or the Lorentzian equivalent of the time it would take for the object to arrive there?

(Personal note: I'm not sure that should you fall into such a wormhole and traverse 100 million light years in an instant that you and your ship would not arrive their instantaneously, but 100 million years old. Bad for the passengers, awesome find for the archeologists...)
 
  • #4
The thing that matters is not speed, but energy. While SR does put an upper limit on an object's speed, it places no such limit on its energy.
 
  • #5
Vanadium 50 said:
The thing that matters is not speed, but energy. While SR does put an upper limit on an object's speed, it places no such limit on its energy.

Other than it can't have more than all the energy in the universe.
So it can't have unlimited energy.

right?

So, would the maximum possible temperature be the kinetic energy of a particle when all other particles in the universe are at absolute zero?

Just spitballing.
 
  • #6
What's the binding energy of a proton? If the kinetic energy of your hydrogen gas was so large that all the protons smashed each other into bits, leaving only radiation, that could be the maximum temperature :)
 
  • #7
While SR does put an upper limit on an object's speed, it places no such limit on its energy.

But GR does place a limit on energy density, since if this is too large a black hole will be formed. I believe there is an upper limit like 10^60 horsepower :)
 
  • #8
confinement said:
But GR does place a limit on energy density, since if this is too large a black hole will be formed. I believe there is an upper limit like 10^60 horsepower :)

No, it doesn't. An object doesn't become a black hole by switching frames. Also, horsepower is not a unit of energy density.
 

1. What is absolute zero?

Absolute zero is the theoretical temperature at which all molecular motion and energy cease. It is often considered to be the lowest possible temperature on the Kelvin scale, which is approximately -273.15 degrees Celsius.

2. Can temperature reach absolute infinity?

No, absolute infinity is not a physically attainable temperature. It is a concept used in thermodynamics to represent the highest possible temperature, but it cannot be reached in reality.

3. How is absolute zero related to absolute infinity?

Absolute zero and absolute infinity are opposite ends of the temperature scale. Absolute zero is the lowest possible temperature, while absolute infinity is the highest possible temperature.

4. What happens to matter at absolute infinity?

At absolute infinity, the molecules of matter would be moving at the highest possible speed, and the bonds between them would break, causing the matter to disintegrate. This temperature is only theoretical and not realistically achievable.

5. Can temperature be measured in absolute infinity?

No, temperature cannot be measured at absolute infinity because it is a theoretical concept. Temperature is usually measured using a thermometer, which cannot accurately measure temperatures beyond the limits of the physical world.

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