Why Was It Significant to Discover Black Hole Entropy and Temperature?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the significance of discovering that black holes possess entropy and temperature, exploring the implications for thermodynamics and the nature of closed systems. Participants examine the foundational concepts of entropy and temperature in relation to black holes and question prior assumptions about their thermodynamic properties.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that any closed system, including black holes, should have entropy and temperature based on thermodynamic principles.
  • Another participant notes that a system can exhibit different temperatures at various locations or potentially have zero entropy.
  • A participant expresses uncertainty about the concept of entropy, particularly regarding systems that may exhibit zero entropy, and seeks more accessible resources for understanding.
  • It is mentioned that systems in their ground state can have zero entropy if there is only a single ground state.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the implications of black hole entropy and temperature, and there are differing views on the understanding of entropy itself.

Contextual Notes

Some participants indicate a lack of clarity regarding the definitions and implications of entropy, particularly in relation to black holes and ground states, which may affect their understanding of the topic.

Islam Hassan
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In thermodynamics, I assume that any closed system that can be described in terms of individual objects/particles and their associated individual momenta has both entropy and temperature. A priori a black hole seems to me to fit that description of a closed system.

Why was it significant then, to have discovered that black holes can have entropy and temperature? Why, prior to this discovery, did we postulate that perhaps they didn't?


IH
 
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In thermodynamics, I assume that any closed system that can be described in terms of individual objects/particles and their associated individual momenta has both entropy and temperature.
It can have a different temperature at different locations, or the entropy could be zero.
 
mfb said:
It can have a different temperature at different locations, or the entropy could be zero.

Ok, it seems I have a fundamental misunderstanding of what entropy is and is not; the wiki articles are relatively formula-heavy on this matter, would you have a more accessible reference on the matter, and especially on systems that exhibit zero entropy?


IH
 

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