Siteadmin, Bureaucrats, Check users, nsAm_Govt_101RO, nsAm_Govt_101RW, nsAm_Govt_101_ta, nsJudgesRO, nsJudgesRW, nsJudges_talkRO, nsJudges_talkRW, nsTeam2RO, nsTeam2RW, nsTeam2_talkRO, nsTeam2_talkRW, oversight, Administrators
125,794
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 1:
Line 1: − +
disorder is always increasing (because of the fundamental uncertainty described by quantum mechanics), and a perpetual motion machine would defy that law
[[Image:BoyleSelfFlowingFlask.png|right|thumb|[[Robert Boyle]]'s self-flowing flask appears to fill itself through siphon action. This is not possible in reality because a siphon requires its "output" to be lower than the "input".]]
[[Image:BoyleSelfFlowingFlask.png|right|thumb|[[Robert Boyle]]'s self-flowing flask appears to fill itself through siphon action. This is not possible in reality because a siphon requires its "output" to be lower than the "input".]]
A '''perpetual motion machine''' is a [[hypothetical]] isolated system capable of having internal motion indefinitely. Many attempts to build such a system have failed for a simple reason: disorder is always increasing, and a perpetual motion machine would defy that law.
A '''perpetual motion machine''' is a [[hypothetical]] isolated system capable of having internal motion indefinitely. Many attempts to build such a system have failed for a simple reason: disorder is always increasing (because of the fundamental uncertainty described by [[quantum mechanics]]), and a perpetual motion machine would defy that law.
A perpetual motion machine would try to use its initial energy to remain in motion perpetually. Because entropy is always increasing, even in closed (and isolated) systems, indefinite motion is impossible because an increase in the disorder of the system will inevitably disrupt the motion and require additional energy to "fix" it. The [[Second Law of Thermodynamics]] predicts that a perpetual motion machine in this sense is impossible, and none has ever been created.
A perpetual motion machine would try to use its initial energy to remain in motion perpetually. Because entropy is always increasing, even in closed (and isolated) systems, indefinite motion is impossible because an increase in the disorder of the system will inevitably disrupt the motion and require additional energy to "fix" it. The [[Second Law of Thermodynamics]] predicts that a perpetual motion machine in this sense is impossible, and none has ever been created.