Connection between entropy and time travel?

In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of breaking the second law of thermodynamics in certain quantum systems and the connection between this law and the conservation of baryon numbers in the early universe. The concept of backwards time travel is also brought up, but it is noted that there is no law forbidding it. The conversation then explores the idea of a mathematical framework that ties together the concepts of perpetual motion and closed timelike loops in general relativity.
  • #1
mollwollfumble
34
5
My background is that I'm an applied mathematician and engineer, self-taught in GR and QFT. It's an old idea, in some dozen or so SciFi books. But I'm looking for a mathematical framework for handling it. The second law of thermodynamics, that entropy always increases in a closed system, can be broken only in pocket quantum systems with temperatures below absolute zero or hotter than infinity. I want to add here that the second law of thermodynamics holds when statistical mechanics fails, in the early universe when baryon numbers are not conserved.

There is no law forbidding backwards time travel, but let's suppose that there is. This law can also be violated, but only in pocket relativistic systems in the vicinity of singularities. Could there be a consistent mathematical framework that ties together "there is no perpetual motion machine" and "there are no closed timelike loops in GR"? What would this mathematical framework look like?
 
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  • #2
mollwollfumble said:
The second law of thermodynamics, that entropy always increases in a closed system, can be broken only in pocket quantum systems with temperatures below absolute zero or hotter than infinity.

How can such systems break the second law?

mollwollfumble said:
I want to add here that the second law of thermodynamics holds when statistical mechanics fails, in the early universe when baryon numbers are not conserved.

Why would the non-conservation of baryon number cause statistical mechanics to fail?

mollwollfumble said:
There is no law forbidding backwards time travel

There isn't? Why not?
 
  • #3
mollwollfumble said:
There is no law forbidding backwards time travel

What about energy conservation? To the poor sods not time traveling the mass equivalent of the time traveler can't just appear where it wasn't before.
 
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FAQ: Connection between entropy and time travel?

What is entropy and how does it relate to time travel?

Entropy is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. It is often associated with the concept of the arrow of time, which states that the universe tends towards a state of increasing disorder. This relationship between entropy and time is important in understanding the possibility of time travel.

Can time travel affect entropy?

Yes, time travel can potentially affect entropy. According to some theories, traveling back in time could create paradoxes that disrupt the natural progression of entropy. However, the exact implications of time travel on entropy are still debated and not fully understood.

How does the second law of thermodynamics relate to time travel?

The second law of thermodynamics states that the total entropy of a closed system tends to increase over time. This law has been used to argue against the possibility of time travel, as it would require the reversal of entropy and therefore violate this law. However, there are also theories that suggest time travel could be possible within the bounds of the second law.

Are there any experiments or evidence that support a connection between entropy and time travel?

Currently, there is no definitive experimental evidence that supports a direct connection between entropy and time travel. However, some theories suggest that the concept of entropy could play a role in determining the feasibility and consequences of time travel.

Could understanding the relationship between entropy and time travel lead to advancements in time travel technology?

It is possible that a deeper understanding of the relationship between entropy and time travel could lead to advancements in the technology and theories surrounding time travel. However, this is a complex and ongoing area of research, and it is not yet clear what the implications of this relationship may be for time travel technology.

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