Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: IronJack
So if time is the decay of energy into entropy, then that decay slows to zero at the speed of light. I get that.

I'm not sure where you got that, or even what it means, but it does bring to mind a real-life observation often used to demonstrate the realities of Einstein's theory of relativity.

And that is the detection of more atomic decay byproducts reaching the earth's surface from the sky than ought to, given their very short, known lifespans.

There are particles from deep space called "cosmic rays" (not to be confused with photons, the carriers of light) They (cosmic rays) are ionized atomic particles. Anyway, they continually rain down on earth, at varying rates, smashing into our atmosphere. When they do they collide with particles in the atmosphere, smash them apart, and/or they themselves are smashed apart?, and new short-lived particles are produced.

But based on the known lifespans of these various short-lived collision byproducts, most should never reach the detectors on earth's surface (they wouldn't exist long enough to make the complete trip).

What is happening is, due to their high rate of speed, the distance they have to travel (from their perspective, due to the effects of Einstein's relativity) is shortened, or 'contracted', such that they are able make it to earth in less time than ordinary calculations would predict they should.

76 posted on 02/11/2017 12:28:48 PM PST by ETL (Trump admin apparently playing "good cop, bad cop" with thug Putin (see my FR Home page))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies ]


To: ETL
I'm not sure where you got that, or even what it means,

Energy is the ability to do useful work. Entropy can be seen as confusion or dissociated "energy" that is lost and no longer capable of doing anything useful. Heat lost to friction is a good example of entropy. A clock winding down is another.

In thermodynamics, systems move inexorably from a state of higher energy to a state of lower energy, and the energy has to go somewhere. The answer: entropy.

All that happens that we observe as the passage of time is the movement of our visible system from a state of higher energy to lower energy. The spring of a watch unwinds and the hours tick away. That "measures" time, but it is not time itself.

I fail to see how time is in any way related to space.

78 posted on 02/11/2017 12:58:02 PM PST by IronJack
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson