The Size of Phase Space 8/12/22

Phase space is the size of every possible distribution of a system in the order of the atoms, the velocities of the atoms (the kinetic energy distribution), and the distribution of electron excited states. It’s every possible combination of every possible distribution and energies of the entire system.

k ln w 8/3/22

I was putting my shirt back on when the tattoo artist at the next cubicle stood up and showed me the tattoo on his palm. No, it was not a bunch of springs (Palm Springs). Actually, it was a seemingly simple mathematical equation, S=k ln w.

Entropy of Life 9/6/21

The entropy of the surroundings had to increase dramatically just to make me feel sick to my stomach.

Entropy of Life 5/18/21

As an adult, it feel as if the entropy is out of control. Things are probably worse today than usual because of the pandemic and all of the fallout resulting from it.

Residual Entropy 1/26/21

“Residual entropy” is the concept that even as we reduce the entropy of a system, there is always some entropy left over that we can never completely dispense. One example is wrinkles in a piece of paper once it’s been crumpled.

Parking Entropy 6/20/20

people believe that the law says that as a law, entropy cannot decrease, but clearly this isn’t true. The entropy of a system, such as the parking lot, can decrease by doing work on the system as it is being done here. In this process, the entropy of the surroundings must increase more than the entropy of the system is decreased to make up for the decrease of entropy of the system

Born to Cause Trouble 8/23/19

yes, you were born to cause trouble

Entropy and Meals 1/16/19

it's fascinating, at least to me, to think that, indeed, the process of eating and digestion does help to satisfy the second law of thermodynamics, which is good because I would not want to end up in quantum court!

Thermodynamics and YOU 12/10/18

Everything that occurs, must occur according to the laws of thermodynamics. Everything. Not just in class, and not just in science, but everything. And the reality is that you know these laws.