book review: A Thermodynamic History of the Universe

[Bandwraith at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/4/02 9:57:55 PM, millison at online-journalist.com writes:

<< http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/04/books/review/04BARTUST.html

review of

A MATTER OF DEGREES

What Temperature Reveals About the Past and Future of Our Species, Planet,

and Universe.

By Gino Segrè.

Illustrated. 300 pp. New York: Viking. $24.95. >>


Right. And just to flesh it out a little, note that entropy, S,
of a system, such as the universe, is defined as the change 
in heat content, Delta H,  divided by temperature, t.  By
definition, the total heat or energy content of the universe
remains constant (energy can neither be created nor 
destroyed apropos the first law of thermodynamics, or, "you
can't win" in pynchonese) while the denominator, temperature,
is constantly decreasing- it is now about 2.73 degrees kelvin-

We have, then, zero (no change in total heat) divided by a value
which is getting smaller. Therefore, the total entropy, S, of the
universe is:  ???? zero! since zero divided by any number is zero!
You figure it out.

Unless, of course, there is negative energy in the universe: 
"quintessence," i.e., anti-gravity, i.e., the universe is expanding 
at an increasing rate- which appears from the quasar data to 
be possible- then we have a negative numerator divided by a 
decreasing temperature giving us an increasingly large but 
"negative" value for total  universal entropy!

Maybe that Chang dude and his band of Aussies are on to
something. Goodbye second law, goodbye mr. wizard...

And you thought those Aussies had it upside down.