What is the Universe expanding into..

Do you think there was anything before the big bang?

  • I don't think there was anything before the Big Bang

    Votes: 56 12.5%
  • I think something existed before the Big Bang

    Votes: 200 44.7%
  • I don't think the big bang happened

    Votes: 54 12.1%
  • I think the universe is part of a mutiverse

    Votes: 201 45.0%

  • Total voters
    447
Status
Not open for further replies.
www.hifisonix.com
Joined 2003
Paid Member
In Boltzmann's view, a disordered state is one where there are a large number of possible equally probable arrangements.

Entropy doesn't depend on when these arrangements 'happen', but is proportional to the probability of them happening.

The higher the probability, the higher the entropy.

In fact, the W in S= k log W is inspired by the German word for probability, Wahrscheinlichkeit.
I'm asking what happens after the event. The past is highly ordered but not the future. So entropy might tend towards a state of disorder, but out knowledge after the event is (in broad terms) very high - ie highly ordered.
 
How do I understand it better with entropy insight?

Do you mean, "How do I understand the world better with entropy insight?".

I looked for an answer to that question and here's what I found:

"A knowledge of entropy gives us the power to harness energy, improve our technology, build our cities, produce chemical reactions and even improve our food supplies."

That's it! :geek:
 
I failed my Oxbridge Entrance Exam. Queen's College, Cambridge. With its very own Bridge of Sighs. A bitter moment. I was looking forwards to mixing it with Stephen Hawking and others.

Despite my teacher Albert Rouse refusing me entrance to the Special Paper in Physics, in which I got an A. I had to accept a mere "Merit" in Chemistry, in which I got a lazy B. A subject that bores me.

Thing is, I ran into the question of whether Prof. E. A. Maxwell's book about Vectors and Electromagnetic Theory was a "Good Thing"?

https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Maxwell_Edwin/

I stated clearly it was the boringest book I had ever read! I could feel a Chill in the air. What I later realised, was that in taking off my glasses for the interview, I missed the fact that it was Prof. E.A. Maxwell interviewing me.

Ah well. My view is you leave your EGO at the door in Science. The Universe continues to surprise us mere Mortals. And I still think Prof. E.A.Maxwell's book was boring. I still hate Vectors. Far prefer Quaternions.

Happily I went to the second best University. London. TBH, undergrad was a bit rubbish. But did Postgrad at Imperial College in Signal Processing. Where I discovered Claude Shannon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_theory

The Real Deal. SERENDIPITY. Good Fortune by Chance.

I rarely mention to People that I am a Physics Graduate. It makes them uncomfortable. Especially Opticians. Who are Rubbish, IMO. Now Dentists, I respect.
 
Member
Joined 2009
Paid Member
I failed my Oxbridge Entrance Exam. Queen's College, Cambridge. With its very own Bridge of Sighs. A bitter moment. I was looking forwards to mixing it with Stephen Hawking and others.

Despite my teacher Albert Rouse refusing me entrance to the Special Paper in Physics, in which I got an A. I had to accept a mere "Merit" in Chemistry, in which I got a lazy B. A subject that bores me.

Thing is, I ran into the question of whether Prof. E. A. Maxwell's book about Vectors and Electromagnetic Theory was a "Good Thing"?

https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Maxwell_Edwin/

I stated clearly it was the boringest book I had ever read! I could feel a Chill in the air. What I later realised, was that in taking off my glasses for the interview, I missed the fact that it was Prof. E.A. Maxwell interviewing me.

Ah well. My view is you leave your EGO at the door in Science. The Universe continues to surprise us mere Mortals. And I still think Prof. E.A.Maxwell's book was boring. I still hate Vectors. Far prefer Quaternions.

Happily I went to the second best University. London. TBH, undergrad was a bit rubbish. But did Postgrad at Imperial College in Signal Processing. Where I discovered Claude Shannon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_theory

The Real Deal. SERENDIPITY. Good Fortune by Chance.

I rarely mention to People that I am a Physics Graduate. It makes them uncomfortable. Especially Opticians. Who are Rubbish, IMO. Now Dentists, I respect.
It's ophthalmologists I despise. 😒
 
My Primary Physics Hero was Dick Feynman:


I bought his 3 books on Physics! TBH, I got a bit lost on Quantum Mechanics. :oops:

I can only present my current opthalmic results:

R: SPH -1.75 CYL: -1.00 AXIS: 15 Degrees
L: SPH -1.50 CYL - 1,25 AXIS: 170 Degrees

I think that is RUBBISH! I see no sign of astigmatism in my left eye. I wish I could get these people to see it.

Consider these Dancers:


This is real Physics!
 
Member
Joined 2009
Paid Member
My Primary Physics Hero was Dick Feynman:


I bought his 3 books on Physics! TBH, I got a bit lost on Quantum Mechanics. :oops:

I can only present my current opthalmic results:

R: SPH -1.75 CYL: -1.00 AXIS: 15 Degrees
L: SPH -1.50 CYL - 1,25 AXIS: 170 Degrees

I think that is RUBBISH! I see no sign of astigmatism in my left eye. I wish I could get these people to see it.

Consider these Dancers:


This is real Physics!
Oh I see it alright..in my right eye. It's the wrong one that doesn't see it.
 
You appear to be talking about information entropy i.e. entropy as an “amount of information” .

So, are you saying that information entropy decreases as thermodynamic entropy increases?
Thermodynamics is well tied in with entropy. Thermodynamics is certainly a practical subset of science, especially as it was initially developed to improve the efficiency of steam engines.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermodynamics

Also, learning the laws of thermodynamics helps a LOT to inoculate one from the false seductiveness of things along the lines of perpetual motion and "over unity" motors, that a friend was showing me a video of a few years ago. He was self-trained in electronics, and so didn't have enough physics background to KNOW when something was BS.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Status
Not open for further replies.