Fred J. McCall ) wrote:
: "Paul F. Dietz" wrote:

: :Ian Woollard wrote:
: :
: : Incorrect. The world receives a low entropy source from sunlight and
: : radiates away heat energy, representing a high entropy sink. The world
: : is thus not a closed system.
: :
: : You scored nil points.
: :
: :And now, for extra credit, answer this question:
: :
: : Is the entropy of the Sun increasing or decreasing?

: And the answer is ... yes, the entropy of the Sun is increasing or
: decreasing.

Why not the same?

: Are there more extra points for knowing which? :-)

How could you prove it as the current age of the sun is said to be half
way through its life. The only definition of entropy that makes sense is
two and possibly three, so 'decreasing' is the correct answer, as
definition one makes no sense. Time is all we know about the change in the
sun. We haven't been around long enough to know the energy fluctuation of
the sun as function over time.

entropy
One entry found for entropy.


Main Entry: en·tro·py
Pronunciation: 'en-tr&-pE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -pies
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary 2en- + Greek tropE change,
literally, turn, from trepein to turn
1 : a measure of the unavailable energy in a closed thermodynamic system
that is also usually considered to be a measure of the system's disorder
and that is a property of the system's state and is related to it in such
a manner that a reversible change in heat in the system produces a change
in the measure which varies directly with the heat change and inversely
with the absolute temperature at which the change takes place; broadly :
the degree of disorder or uncertainty in a system

2 a : the degradation of the matter and energy in the universe to an
ultimate state of inert uniformity b : a process of degradation or running
down or a trend to disorder

3 : CHAOS, DISORGANIZATION, RANDOMNESS
- en·tro·pic /en-'trO-pik, -'trä-pik/ adjective
- en·tro·pi·cal·ly /-pi-k(&-)lE/ adverb

Eric

: --
: "I was lucky in the order. But I've always been lucky
: when it comes to killin' folks."
: -- William Munny, "Unforgiven"