• Question: Do you believe in entropy and that the whole universe is likely to end in black holes and atoms floating around, then just atoms? i got this from brian cox's wonders of the universe

    Asked by elhermano to David, Luna, Mark, Melanie, Probash on 21 Mar 2011 in Categories: .
    • Photo: David Pyle

      David Pyle answered on 20 Mar 2011:

      Entropy – as a thermodynamic concept – is very important. But I am not sure it tells us what will happen at the ‘end’ of the universe, if there is one. Logically, a very low energy state at ‘the end’ would be a vast array of atoms in their ground states spaced at huge distances apart in a system approaching zero Kelvin.

    • Photo: Luna Munoz

      Luna Munoz answered on 21 Mar 2011:

      I wish I could understand anything that would describe the entirety of the universe! It’s so vast and unknown.

    • Photo: Melanie Stefan

      Melanie Stefan answered on 21 Mar 2011:

      The second law of thermodynamics states that entropy increases, unless some work is applied (entropy is sometimes also called “disorder” – I have always found that quite handy, because, for instance, the disorder in my room also seems to increase spontaneously unless I apply some work and tidy it up)

      If we think of galaxies and stars and even molecules as ordered forms, then the increase in entropy would indeed result in a universe with only atoms floating around. Although trying to imagine that makes my head turn a bit …

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