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Why is absolute zero finite compared to maximum heat (which is seemingly infinite)?



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 9th 03, 09:45 PM
Binary Object
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Default Why is absolute zero finite compared to maximum heat (which is seemingly infinite)?

Why is absolute zero approximately -460 F, yet the maximum
possible amount of heat is seemingly infinite? There is
certainly an asymmetry. Why is there no upper bound for
heat? Why is there a lower bound for cold?
  #3  
Old December 10th 03, 04:51 AM
Richard
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Default Why is absolute zero finite compared to maximum heat (which isseemingly infinite)?



Binary Object wrote:

Why is absolute zero approximately -460 F, yet the maximum
possible amount of heat is seemingly infinite? There is
certainly an asymmetry. Why is there no upper bound for
heat? Why is there a lower bound for cold?


Temperature is a measure of the kinetic energy per molecule. Molecules
can only lose so much translatory (kinetic) energy until they have none
left to lose. There is no negative of relative motion, either it exists
or it doesn't. Absolute zero is attained when all of the molecules in a
sample are at rest with respect to each other.

To be pedantic, the molecules still have plenty of energy left even when
they are at rest with respect to each other, but this is energy of a
different form.

Richard Perry
  #4  
Old December 10th 03, 04:54 AM
[email protected] \(formerly\)
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Default Why is absolute zero finite compared to maximum heat (which is seemingly infinite)?

Dear Binary Object:

"Binary Object" wrote in message
om...
Why is absolute zero approximately -460 F, yet the maximum
possible amount of heat is seemingly infinite? There is
certainly an asymmetry. Why is there no upper bound for
heat? Why is there a lower bound for cold?


Temperature is a measure of internal energy of a specific sort. You cannot
have less than no internal energy (Dark Energy notwithstanding and not teh
right type anyway), but any finite positive value for energy would be
possible...

David A. Smith

  #6  
Old December 10th 03, 01:04 PM
Volker Hetzer
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Default Why is absolute zero finite compared to maximum heat (which is seemingly infinite)?


"Binary Object" schrieb im Newsbeitrag om...
Why is absolute zero approximately -460 F, yet the maximum
possible amount of heat is seemingly infinite? There is
certainly an asymmetry. Why is there no upper bound for
heat? Why is there a lower bound for cold?

Because you can't take out more energy than what's in but
you can always add more.

Greetings!
Volker
  #8  
Old December 10th 03, 03:11 PM
Greg Neill
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Default Why is absolute zero finite compared to maximum heat (which is seemingly infinite)?

"Binary Object" wrote in message
om...
Why is absolute zero approximately -460 F, yet the maximum
possible amount of heat is seemingly infinite? There is
certainly an asymmetry. Why is there no upper bound for
heat? Why is there a lower bound for cold?


Heat is a measure of energy content that results in motion
of particles, hence temperature. No energy, no heat, no
temperature. Can you have less motion than no motion?

Quantum mechanics says you can't ever completely eliminate
tiny jiggles of the constituent particles, so the temperature
of a collection of particles can never reach absolute zero.

  #9  
Old December 10th 03, 03:33 PM
Jeff Root
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Default Why is absolute zero finite compared to maximum heat (which is seemingly infinite)?

"Binary Object" ) asked:

Why is absolute zero approximately -460 F, yet the maximum
possible amount of heat is seemingly infinite? There is
certainly an asymmetry. Why is there no upper bound for
heat? Why is there a lower bound for cold?


Why is the absolute zero length of a piece of string exactly
zero inches, yet the possible length of string is seemingly
infinite? There is certainly an asymmetry. Why is there no
upper bound for the length of a string? Why is there a lower
bound for the length of a string?

-- Jeff, in Minneapolis

  #10  
Old December 10th 03, 03:46 PM
eric
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Default Why is absolute zero finite compared to maximum heat (which is seemingly infinite)?

(Binary Object) wrote in message . com...
Why is there a lower bound for cold?


Can you define absolute zero? I think that would help you to answer
your own question.
 




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