Entropy and the early univesre

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In summary, entropy is a measure of how dispersed the energy is. In the pre-big bang, the energy was very concentrated in a very small space so it had very low entropy. However, in terms of order, a system in thermodynamic equilibrium is not more orderly than one that is not. The increase in entropy is due to the most probable result of combining two thermodynamic systems into thermodynamic equilibrium. This is also true for black holes, and the confusion between order and entropy is often caused by poor popular science explanations.
  • #1
bananan
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Hello,
since entropy in the univesre is always increasing, if we were to go back in time, would the amount of order increase? will there get to be a point where the universe is extremely orderly?

Did the big bang start out as a very orderly object?
 
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  • #2
bananan said:
Hello,
since entropy in the univesre is always increasing, if we were to go back in time, would the amount of order increase? will there get to be a point where the universe is extremely orderly?

Did the big bang start out as a very orderly object?
Entropy is a measure of how dispersed the energy is. In the pre-big bang, the energy was very concentrated in a very small space so it had very low entropy.

Do not confuse order with entropy. Entropy increases because the most probable result of combining two thermodynamic systems is thermodynamic equilibrium. A system in thermodynamic equilibrium is not more orderly than one that is not. It is simply much more probable.

AM
 
  • #3
Andrew Mason said:
Entropy is a measure of how dispersed the energy is. In the pre-big bang, the energy was very concentrated in a very small space so it had very low entropy.

Do not confuse order with entropy. Entropy increases because the most probable result of combining two thermodynamic systems is thermodynamic equilibrium. A system in thermodynamic equilibrium is not more orderly than one that is not. It is simply much more probable.

AM

ISn't that also true for black holes? I did confuse order with entropy.
 
  • #4
I blame that on poor popular science, which seems to be hell-bent on associating disorder with entropy, while not highlighting the true definition.
 

What is entropy?

Entropy is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. In simple terms, it describes the amount of energy in a system that is not available to do useful work.

How does entropy relate to the early universe?

In the early universe, entropy played a crucial role in the formation and evolution of the universe. As the universe expanded and cooled, the entropy increased, leading to the formation of structures like galaxies and stars.

What is the relationship between entropy and the second law of thermodynamics?

The second law of thermodynamics states that the total entropy of a closed system can never decrease over time. This means that as the universe continues to expand, the overall entropy will continue to increase.

How does entropy affect the fate of the universe?

Some theories suggest that the continued increase in entropy will eventually lead to the "heat death" of the universe, where all energy is evenly distributed and no work can be done. However, other theories propose alternative fates for the universe.

Can entropy be reversed?

While it is possible to decrease entropy in a localized system, the overall trend is for entropy to increase. This is due to the second law of thermodynamics and the fact that energy tends to spread out and become more evenly distributed over time.

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