Huh????

[lost-and-found]

Here's a question I picked up from my AIM subprofile generator. "If it's zero degrees outside today and it's supposed to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold is it going to be? "
Anyone dare to know the answer?

[Theophylact]

Physically, a meaningless question. Even if you're measuring in degrees Kelvin. At absolute zero (0 degrees Kelvin, -273.15 degrees Celsius) there's still kinetic energy (the quantum-mechanical "zero-point energy"), so the old definition of temperature as "average kinetic energy per unit something-or-other" is invalid. So even to say that 20 degrees K is twice as hot as 10 degrees K isn't really right.

But it's particularly silly when your fixed point is something other than absolute zero. 20 C (293.15 K) isn't twice as hot as 10 C (283.15 K), and it sure isn't infinitely hotter than 0 C (273.15 K).

And "twice as cold"? Cold isn't anything, it's the absence of heat. It's like saying something is "twice as black".

[draboo]

cripes,i got a tough time figgering out square roots for rafter calculations(hence the construction calculater in the tool box of truck) and theo comes up with an explanation like that. i gotta go back to school

[Theophylact]

Look at it this way: a Lamborghini is twice as cool as a PT Cruiser, but also twice as hot.

[lost-and-found]

weeeee.... Thanks

[HfdWolfPack]

e=mc2

[OuTpaTienT]

Originally posted by Theophylact
Look at it this way: a Lamborghini is twice as cool as a PT Cruiser, but also twice as hot.

But that calculation falls apart when you factor in purchase price, with the Lambo being about ten to fifteen times the Cruiser's price.

[cracked]

77+sqrt(44000\3)\13^300
_____________________
2

thats the answer

drew

[vass0922]

"At absolute zero (0 degrees Kelvin, -273.15 degrees Celsius) there's still kinetic energy"

Now is that theory or fact? Last I heard we'd never reached that temperature.
Its also to my understanding that at 0 Kelvin (mind you not 0 degrees Kelvin) it is absolute zero where kinetic energy stops and there is absolutely no movement among the atoms. So if there is STILL kinetic energy among the atoms 'absolute zero' should be adjusted to the REAL absolute zero wouldn't you think?
Now when they say when the motion of atoms stop (zero kinetic energy) does that still allow for the motion of the electron cloud?

[originel]

arrgh Theophylact, i read the title and was soo looking forward to answering this question, but you beat me to it . i got this question in chem last sem, and also in physics a few years ago.