From: Andy Brice (andyb1@btclick.com)
Date: Fri Jul 19 2002 - 03:18:42 MDT
From: "Jonathan Davis" <limbic11@hotmail.com>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_2135000/2135779.stm
Jonathan,
This is a rather vague and unconvincing piece. I would need to look at the
original source to pass conclusive judgement though.
The key point in the second law is 'closed system'. If you included the
laser and system for shaking the beads in the system I expect you would find
that the second law is still valid. Random vibration can be used to sort
items of different sizes, the smaller items moving to the bottom. Again
including the shaking system means that the 2nd law isn't violated.
Thermodynamics is also known as statistical mechanics. As such the laws are
statistically based not absolute. There is chance that a system can become
more ordered by random fluctuations. The larger the system the less likely
this is too happen. This is hardly news to physics.
best regards
Andy Brice
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