Wonders Of The Universe - BBC2 - 06/03/11

Ardent

Tremelo wrote: »

Just a question on entropy and the tendency towards disorder:

If things naturally tend toward disorder, then how come ordered things like solar systems form out of chaotic nebulae?

Maybe entropy is a tendency towards order, rather than disorder? That was my take on it anyway.

Take for example, a glass of ice in a warm room. Entropy change occurs as the ice melts due to the temperature of the room. When the ice has melted, and has become liquid water at room temperature, no more change can occur. Maybe the room is our universe and the glass of ice is any one of the galaxies within it.

Solar Systems <- Nebulae <- Galaxies <- Big Bang. Still waiting for explanation for Big Bang!!!

slade_x

Ardent wrote: »

Maybe entropy is a tendency towards order, rather than disorder? That was my take on it anyway.

Take for example, a glass of ice in a warm room. Entropy change occurs as the ice melts due to the temperature of the room.

Thats actually backward, entropy is a breakdown into chaos of sorts, it is a tendacy toward disorder. Entropy increases in that scenario. The ice melts because of the temperature of the ice (it is more ordered) in relation to its new environment. the higher temperature environment seeks equilibrium with the lower, so the progression is from high to low.

Ardent wrote: »

When the ice has melted, and has become liquid water at room temperature, no more change can occur.

yes without an external influence, like say putting it back into the icebox or the temperature of the room becoming drastically cooler from increasing entropy from another reference state. ie colder external temperatures (the so called room could be in the artic while being artificially heated, until the central heating systems for example breaks down due to increasing entropy)

Update: Actually wikipedia puts it best; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entropy

Entropy is a thermodynamic property that is a measure of the energy not available for useful work in a thermodynamic process, such as in energy conversion devices, engines, or machines. Such devices can only be driven by convertible energy, and have a theoretical maximum efficiency when converting energy to work. During this work entropy accumulates in the system, but has to be removed by dissipation in the form of waste heat.

200motels

What an excellent show and he mentioned the Cosmos by Carl Sagen in the third show which inspired him to become a physicist, I remember watching the Cosmos back in the 80's and I went out a bought it the other day and what a brilliant show way ahead of it's time. I'd advise anyone to go and seek it out and watch it.

Ardent

200motels wrote: »

What an excellent show and he mentioned the Cosmos by Carl Sagen in the third show which inspired him to become a physicist, I remember watching the Cosmos back in the 80's and I went out a bought it the other day and what a brilliant show way ahead of it's time. I'd advise anyone to go and seek it out and watch it.

I'm watching it now and it's quite good. Carl and his Ship Of the Imagination covering all aspects of astronomy-related science. Still very relevant and watchable today!

It's a bit slow and padded out at times (the history of astronomers etc) but the show leaves no stone unturned. It builds in intensity as Carl deals with more and more complex questions with each passing episode. The 10th and 11th episodes were absolutely fascinating, regarding the elements and the scope of the universe! Opened my mind big time.

Also, you can actually see where Brian Cox ripped off parts of Cosmos for his own show!!

200motels

Ardent wrote: »

I'm watching it now and it's quite good. Carl and his Ship Of the Imagination covering all aspects of astronomy-related science. Still very relevant and watchable today!

It's a bit slow and padded out at times (the history of astronomers etc) but the show leaves no stone unturned. It builds in intensity as Carl deals with more and more complex questions with each passing episode. The 10th and 11th episodes were absolutely fascinating, regarding the elements and the scope of the universe! Opened my mind big time.

Also, you can actually see where Brian Cox ripped off parts of Cosmos for his own show!!

I agree he did rip off alot, but that's a compliment to the great man himself.

th3 s1aught3r

200motels wrote: »

What an excellent show and he mentioned the Cosmos by Carl Sagen in the third show which inspired him to become a physicist, I remember watching the Cosmos back in the 80's and I went out a bought it the other day and what a brilliant show way ahead of it's time. I'd advise anyone to go and seek it out and watch it.

Wonders of the Universe is probably the best show on science/cosmology I have seen. I also remember a show in the 90's called 'Universe' that was narrated by John Hurt, which was inspiring.
I must try and find the Carl Sagan one

Beeker

th3 s1aught3r wrote: »

Wonders of the Universe is probably the best show on science/cosmology I have seen. I also remember a show in the 90's called 'Universe' that was narrated by John Hurt, which was inspiring.
I must try and find the Carl Sagan one

Cosmos was fantastic!!! Go get it:)