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| | This is a tantalizing translation of John 1:1,<ref>See the [[Conservative Bible Project]] for an ongoing effort to bring forth the best rendition in English of the original intent of the Bible.</ref> and it suggests that insight into the universe may be best understood by examining order, and its converse of disorder ([[entropy]]). A starting point is this: ''quantifying order''. | | This is a tantalizing translation of John 1:1,<ref>See the [[Conservative Bible Project]] for an ongoing effort to bring forth the best rendition in English of the original intent of the Bible.</ref> and it suggests that insight into the universe may be best understood by examining order, and its converse of disorder ([[entropy]]). A starting point is this: ''quantifying order''. |
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| | + | No one has ever quantified order, and it is difficult challenge. It helps to make some initial observations: |
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| | + | *precise locations are more ordered than imprecise ones. |
| | + | *fast, predictable motion is more ordered than slow or unpredictable motion |
| | + | *sharp delineation is more ordered than diffusion |
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| | There are several examples of highly ordered systems from diverse corners of physics: | | There are several examples of highly ordered systems from diverse corners of physics: |
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| | *the transmission of light | | *the transmission of light |
| | *the transmission of electromagnetic waves | | *the transmission of electromagnetic waves |
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| | + | A perpetual ordered system, or a [[perpetual motion machine]], is thought to be impossible by virtue of the [[Second Law of Thermodynamics]]. |
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| | == Tightly Wound Orbit == | | == Tightly Wound Orbit == |
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| | == Transmission of Light == | | == Transmission of Light == |
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| | + | The transmission of light is extremely fast with predictable motion, and thus is highly ordered. But even light has diffusion (except in a vacuum<ref>Light can travel in vacuum; sound cannot.</ref>), so it typically is not perfectly ordered.<ref>[http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1930/press.html 1930 Physics Nobel Prize presentation discussing diffusion of light]</ref> |
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| | == Transmission of Electromagnetic Waves == | | == Transmission of Electromagnetic Waves == |
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| − | A perpetual ordered system, or a [[perpetual motion machine]], is thought to be impossible by virtue of the [[Second Law of Thermodynamics]].
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| | == References == | | == References == |
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