Deriving GR from maximum power

In summary, MTW's argument is that the maximum power radiated from any system is a fixed number, about 10^53 W. This was originally thought to be just a piece of cool trivia, but it turns out that the GR field equations can be derived from this assumption. Jacobson and Schiller have both explored this concept further, with Schiller attempting to explain it at a more accessible level in his book Motion Mountain. However, his treatment may be difficult to understand due to varying levels of sophistication. Overall, this idea is considered to be very interesting and has been further researched by Padmanabhan in his work Gravity: The Inside Story.
  • #1
bcrowell
Staff Emeritus
Science Advisor
Insights Author
Gold Member
6,724
429
MTW has a cute argument on p. 980 that the maximum power radiated from any system is a fixed number, about 10^53 W. I came across this and filed it away as a piece of cool trivia. But it turns out that apparently you can derive the GR field equations from nothing more than the assumption that there is a maximum power across any surface:

Jacobson, "Thermodynamics of spacetime: the Einstein equation of state," PRL 75 (1995) 1260, http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/9504004

C. Schiller has made an attempt to present this at a lower mathematical level in Motion Mountain, v. II, ch. 4: http://motionmountain.net/

Schiller's treatment, unforunately, seems to veer wildly between different levels of sophistication, and I wasn't able to make much of it.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
That's really cool.
 
  • #3
Related: Padmanabhan, Gravity: The Inside Story, http://www.gravityresearchfoundation.org/pdf/awarded/2008/Padmanabhan_2008.pdf
 
Last edited by a moderator:

What is "Deriving GR from maximum power"?

"Deriving GR from maximum power" is a theoretical concept proposed by physicist Jacob Bekenstein in 1973. It suggests that the fundamental principles of general relativity (GR) can be derived from the principle of maximum power, which states that physical systems tend to evolve towards a state of maximum power dissipation.

How does the principle of maximum power relate to general relativity?

The principle of maximum power suggests that gravity is a result of the tendency of physical systems to dissipate power. In other words, the curvature of spacetime that is described by general relativity can be understood as a result of this power dissipation process.

Is "Deriving GR from maximum power" widely accepted in the scientific community?

The concept of "Deriving GR from maximum power" is still a topic of debate in the scientific community. While some researchers have found evidence to support this idea, others believe that it is not a complete explanation for the principles of general relativity.

What implications does "Deriving GR from maximum power" have for our understanding of gravity?

If the concept of "Deriving GR from maximum power" is proven to be true, it would provide a new perspective on our understanding of gravity and its relationship to other fundamental forces in the universe. It could potentially lead to a unified theory of physics that combines general relativity with other theories, such as quantum mechanics.

Are there any practical applications of "Deriving GR from maximum power"?

At this point, the concept of "Deriving GR from maximum power" is still largely theoretical and has not been applied in any practical ways. However, if further research supports this idea, it could potentially lead to new technologies or advancements in our understanding of the universe.

Similar threads

CHR&R answer 20year Jacobson question (GR foundations+Thermo)
    • Beyond the Standard Models
Replies
18
Views
9K
Einstein Equation of State vs Gravity from Entanglement
    • Beyond the Standard Models
Replies
6
Views
3K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top