Categories: All - entropy - symmetry - probability - universe

by Gerald Wood 6 years ago

98

Fabric of the Cosmos Chapter 6

The concept of time's directionality is explored through the lens of physics and entropy. While mathematical principles suggest that time-reversal symmetry should hold true, reality seems to contradict this notion.

Fabric of the Cosmos Chapter 6

Chance and the Arrow

Does time have a direction?

We only ever see things happen and not un-happen
Entropy

War and Peace example of high vs low entropy

Low entropy means that very few rearrangements would go unnoticed, high entropy means that many rearrangements would go unnoticed.

Newton's second law implies that entropy increases both toward the future and the past at any given moment

Fallowing the math

The probability that something will happen should be the same as seeing it unhappen

A quagmire is introduced

Why is our universe ordered?

Our universe began in a low entropy state and has been growing towards high entropy

Suspending disbelief

The past, memories, and the laws of physics can only be trusted if the Big Bang started off in a state of extremely low entropy

Our Universe is in a valley between high entropy past and high entropy future

Ludwig Boltzmann

Time-Reversal Symmetry

In principle, the physics make sense but reality does not reflect the math