Stat Mech vs. Greek atomistic hypothesis?

[hkyriazi]

Has statistical mechanics anywhere disproven the ancient Greek idea that hard, indestructible objects (the original "atoms"), that experience no force other than that of impacts, can form the substratum of all material bodies and forces?

I've been reading Boltzmann's "Lectures on Gas Theory" (1896, 1898), and he states that his H-Theorem (which purports to show that entropy must always either increase or stay the same) is dependent upon the assumption of molecular chaos, i.e., that at equilibrium, any gas will have its molecules distributed randomly both in terms of position and velocity.

This seems inevitably to be true for the convexly-shaped particles that constitute atoms and even diatomic molecules (their dumbbell shape is still overall convex). But has it been proven to be true for any shaped particle whatsoever?

Specifically, I'm trying to evaluate the feasibility of a interesting model proposed by Frank Meno, which may be viewed at: crackpot link removed
It's an atomistic hypothesis, but postulates that a gas of hot, hard, semi-concave needle-like objects can maintain dynamically stable structures, despite constant collisions with each other, and no attractive forces between them. Does Stat Mech have anything to say about this, other than that we have no precedent for such a gas or for such behavior?

 

[Integral]

The site you linked is a personal theory. I could not detect a shred of meaningful physics. Do not waste your time attempting to unravel it, it is not worth your while. You would be better off making an efffor to understand the current theories.

 

[charng]

I would approach this question by first acknowledging that the Greek atomistic hypothesis was a philosophical idea proposed thousands of years ago and not a scientific theory based on empirical evidence. Therefore, it cannot be disproven by modern scientific methods such as statistical mechanics.

That being said, statistical mechanics is a powerful tool for understanding the behavior of matter at the microscopic level. It allows us to make predictions about the behavior of a large number of particles based on their individual properties and interactions. In this sense, it can shed light on the feasibility of the model proposed by Frank Meno.

The assumption of molecular chaos, as mentioned by Boltzmann, is a fundamental principle of statistical mechanics. It is based on the idea that at equilibrium, the particles in a gas will be randomly distributed in terms of position and velocity. This assumption has been validated by numerous experiments and simulations, and it is a crucial component of many statistical mechanical models.

In regards to the specific model proposed by Frank Meno, it is important to note that statistical mechanics does not have any specific predictions for the behavior of hot, hard, semi-concave needle-like objects. However, it does have general principles that can be applied to any system of particles, such as conservation of energy and momentum. These principles can be used to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed model.

Ultimately, the success of any scientific model or theory depends on its ability to make accurate predictions and explain observed phenomena. While statistical mechanics may not have a direct answer to the question of whether a gas of needle-like objects can maintain stable structures, it can provide a framework for testing and evaluating the proposed model. Further research and experimentation would be necessary to determine the validity of the model and its compatibility with the principles of statistical mechanics.