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wolram
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I know there are a few ways the universe can end, if it ever does, but at what temperature would the universe be in after heat death?
If the dark energy is a cosmological constant (or otherwise remains constant into the future), then the eventual temperature will be determined by the Hawking radiation coming from the horizon produced by the cosmological constant.wolram said:I know there are a few ways the universe can end, if it ever does, but at what temperature would the universe be in after heat death?
The temperature of a single particle is meaningless: temperature is only a meaningful quantity for a large number of particles.Kevin McHugh said:As long as something is vibrating somewhere, it can't be zero.
There's no reason to believe this assertion of yours. Heat death is an inevitability given that the universe continues to expand.secur said:Anyway, the chance that the current-science concept of "heat death" is still considered correct in 10^2 years, much less 10^whatever years, also approaches zero.
Negative temperatures are not "below absolute zero." They actually correspond to systems hotter than an infinite temperature. And it only applies to system that have a finite maximum energy, which is not relevant here.newjerseyrunner said:Isn't talking about temperature in extreme situations like this meaningless anyway due to quantum uncertainty. Technically, couldn't the universe, or at least parts of it, actually dip below absolute zero?
Only if dark energy goes away eventually.wolram said:Does is make a difference if the universe is open or closed?
Heat death final temperature is a concept in thermodynamics that predicts the eventual state of the universe, where all matter and energy has reached a state of equilibrium and there is no longer any temperature gradient or potential for work to be done.
The calculation of heat death final temperature is based on the second law of thermodynamics, which states that entropy (a measure of disorder) in a closed system will always increase over time. This, combined with the assumption of the universe's expansion and the behavior of dark energy, leads to a predicted final temperature of approximately 2.7 Kelvin (-270.45 degrees Celsius).
No, heat death final temperature is a theoretical concept based on current understanding of thermodynamics and the behavior of the universe. While it is a widely accepted concept, it is not yet proven and remains a subject of ongoing research and debate.
If heat death final temperature were to occur, it would result in a state where no energy or matter can be utilized for any kind of life. However, the timeline for this event is estimated to be trillions of years in the future, so it is unlikely that any current forms of life will exist at that time.
Given our current understanding of the laws of thermodynamics, it is believed that heat death final temperature is inevitable. However, there are theories and proposals for avoiding or delaying this event, such as finding ways to reverse the expansion of the universe or harnessing the energy of black holes. These ideas are still highly speculative and require further research and development.