From: meekerdb <meekerdb@verizon.net> To: Eugene Salamin <gene_salamin@yahoo.com>; math-fun <math-fun@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Monday, July 29, 2013 10:37 AM Subject: Re: [math-fun] Does entropy increase because the universe is expanding?
On 7/29/2013 9:50 AM, Eugene Salamin wrote:
Will someone who holds an affirmative view on this question answer the following.
A chemist constructs two vessels separated by a closed stopcock. One vessel is filled with gas, the other is evacuated. The stopcock is opened. In our expanding universe, the gas expands into the empty vessel until the pressures are equalized. Entropy has increased. What would be observed in a contracting universe?
If a chemist can exist he'll see the gas expand into the empty vessel AND he'll see the universe as expanding.
Brent P.S. If a chemist constructs a vessel it'll probably leak. That's what technicians are for.
So you are saying that the universe cannot be observed to be contracting. How do you reconcile that with general relativity, which does admit as a solution a contracting universe? -- Gene