From: sehari@iastate.edu (Babak Sehari)
Subject: Re: The Second Law, Heavy Metals and Khayyam
Originator: sehari@vincent1.iastate.edu
Keywords: entropy, metal hydrides
Organization: Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Ames, Iowa.
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 18:08:43 GMT

In <khosrow.713607177@bach> khosrow@bach.sim.es.com (Khosrow Motamedi) writes:


>Claiming the existence of an "anti-nuclear device that will reverse the 
>fission reaction of nuclear bombs when ignited" is about as outrageous and 
>feeble as claiming the invention of a time machine or that of the proverbial
>"crystal ball." However, Mr. Sehari, what makes you think that conversion of 
>energy to matter, in and of itself, would violate the Second Law of 
>thermodynamics? You need to distinguish between what the laws of physics 
>allow or prohibit, and what is currently within the reach of technology.

As, I said this is not good place to talk about these things; however,
since many other people might be interested, I write a couple of lines
here.  After a nuclear explosion the entropy has been increased to a
level, that it needs the energy and entropy increase of least one other
nuclear explosion of the same size to reverse it, if possible at all.
Conversion from mass to energy is a very natural phenomenon, you can find
it every where to a small extent. That is, we have natural elements that
are radio active and their mass is converting to energy in nature.  However,
you do not see the reverse in nature.  The reason is the entropy of energy
is much larger than entropy of mass.


>In Relativistic terms, matter and energy are completely interchangeable, 

There are many question about relativity that needs to be answered.  Some part
of theory has not been accepted at all.  For example, "spooky action at a
distance" of quantum mechanics predict that you could send information and
even mass with a speed more than speed of light, even though the probability
is very small.  As a mater of fact, the quantum mechanics predict you could
send a object across the galaxies at an instant.  The wave function, of an
particle does not go to zero anywhere in the universe, so all the particles 
have a presence, even though small, all over the world.

"Spooky action at a distance" is currently under research in UC Br.,
for invention of devices that could communicate faster than speed of light.

>                                                                         and 
>in fact, to a moving observer they are indistinguishable. Relativity does NOT 
>violate the laws of thermodynamics. One can always decrease entropy locally 
>as long as it is increased elsewhere. Your refrigerator does it every time
>it makes ice cubes. There is no theoretical limit to which this can be 
>accomplished. What the Second Law DOES preclude is any process by which the 
>TOTAL entropy of the universe is decreased or even held constant, since any 
>closed system is continually in transition from a state of order to a state 
>of disorder, or more generally, from a less probable state to a more probable
>state. 

True, if such thing had to happen, you got to increase the entropy of
the universe at least by small amount, ie. at least you need the energy
of another nuclear bomb of the same size to reverse the first one! Still
you end up with the energy of the second nuclear bomb.  As you see, in 
refrigerators, or heat pomp, you have to pomp the heat, using energy,
from one area to another area.  The net result is more heat, even though
you cooled inside of your refrigerator!  

>But lets take a more interesting example than your bridge. Under ordinary 
>conditions, heavier elements with larger atomic structure (higher state of 
>order, less probable) decay to lighter, smaller elements (lower state of order,
>more probable) while they radiate energy, and increase entropy, locally or 
>otherwise. Alternately, there are conditions under which the reverse takes 
>place, that is heavier elements are produced from lighter elements through 
>fusion, while they absorb energy. 
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^       
No, no! They generate energy as well.  This is the principle under which the
H bomb is built. That is four H combine to built one He or two heavy H (D)
recombine to built one He.  The only way that the energy could be converted
to mater is through interaction of two gamma Photon, or particles, what ever
you want to name it.  See the sun uses four H to get one He and lots of
energy, to put it simply.

>on people and institutions lest someone ask YOU something like: where did you 
>learn your thermodynamics, Iowa?!


Have you ever heard of "Ames National Labs", which is part of Dept. of 
Energy?!  Even though, the only place which is special to me is Iran;
not any state of the United States.  I do not have any special feeling
about any state of United States. I personally have been in more than
14 states so far, for visit, vacation, study, etc...  All have some,
some good points and some disadvantage.  Regarding Utah, the good point
is, they have nice looking girls, the bad point is, it is a desert.  Off
course this is my opinion. Some might like living in the desert, or like
different type of girls.  Oh by the way, I have been in Utah; they have
very honest people, too.

                       With highest regards,
                            Babak   Sehari.



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