Changes

The '''Second Law of Thermodynamics''' states that heat can never flow from a cold body to a warmer one. An equivalent definition is that the [[entropy]] of an isolated system cannot decrease.<ref> “Another way of stating the second [[law]] then is: ‘The universe is constantly getting more disorderly!’ Viewed that way, we can see the second law all about us.  We have to [[work]] hard to straighten a room, but left to itself it becomes a mess again very quickly and very easily.  Even if we never enter it, it becomes dusty and musty.  How difficult to maintain houses, and machinery, and our bodies in perfect working order: how easy to let them deteriorate.  In fact, all we have to do is nothing, and everything deteriorates, collapses, breaks down, wears out, all by itself -- and that is what the second law is all about.” Isaac Asimov, Smithsonian Institute Journal, June 1970, p. 6 </ref>

The '''Second Law of Thermodynamics''' states that heat can never flow from a cold body to a warmer one. An equivalent definition is that the [[entropy]] of an isolated system cannot decrease.<ref> “Another way of stating the second [[law]] then is: ‘The universe is constantly getting more disorderly!’ Viewed that way, we can see the second law all about us.  We have to [[work]] hard to straighten a room, but left to itself it becomes a mess again very quickly and very easily.  Even if we never enter it, it becomes dusty and musty.  How difficult to maintain houses, and machinery, and our bodies in perfect working order: how easy to let them deteriorate.  In fact, all we have to do is nothing, and everything deteriorates, collapses, breaks down, wears out, all by itself -- and that is what the second law is all about.” Isaac Asimov, Smithsonian Institute Journal, June 1970, p. 6 </ref>

According to this law, it is impossible to build a [[perpetual motion machine]] because increasingly entropy will inevitably derail the machine.

According to this law, it is impossible to build a [[perpetual motion machine]] because increasingly entropy will inevitably derail the machine.

==Interpretation==

==Interpretation==

==Entropy and disorder for dummies==

==Entropy and disorder for dummies==

In information theory, "entropy" means increasing disorder. However in thermodynamics it doesn't, and creationists shouldn't use this easily disproven argument.

In this context "increasing disorder" means "that which happens if you let nature take its course".

Imagine your old room at your parent's house.  Remember how easy it was to let the room turn into a uniform mess (disorder) and remember how hard it was to clean it up until it fit a specific, non-uniform design (order). Not cleaning up would always result in an increase of entropy in your room!

 

Now, in nature there is no one to clean up the universe, only chances.  The chance of something becoming orderly is a lot smaller than the chance of something becoming disorderly (since there are far more possible disorderly states to choose from).

 

Alternatively one could think of how difficult it is to construct a house of cards, while almost everything that happens in nature will result in its collapse.

 

On a universal scale a tidy room would be a universe which has pockets of above average concentrations of energy (remember that E=mc^2 so this includes matter as well.)

A messy room would be a universe in which all energy is equally spread out.

In thermodynamics, "entropy" means energy unavailable for work. It has nothing to do with disorder.

The flow of energy (by heat exchange) to places with lower concentrations is called the "heat flow".

The often heard argument that this law disproves an eternal universe is true, since in that case maximum entropy would have been reached already. A counter-argument to this would be to suggest that the universe is still in the process of approaching maximum entropy.

The often heard argument that this law disproves an eternal universe is true, since in that case maximum entropy would have been reached already. A counter-argument to this would be to suggest that the universe is still in the process of approaching maximum entropy.