Re:Hitting Absolute Zero Has Been Declared Mathematically Im...
by dragonwriter on Wednesday March 15, 2017 @02:09PM
(#13878354)
> It takes an infinite amount of time and resources to remove energy to reach absolute zero
Since particles not at absolute zero have finite energy, this point is non-trivial and proving this point was actually the focus. (Tangentially, I think this has been a common and strong intuition, and suggested by extrapolation from empirical evidence, that you could asymptotically approach but not reach absolute zero because it would be progressively harder as you got closer. But there's a difference between that and a mathematical proof grounded in assumptions that are well-accepted.)
Yes, if you have this as a known truth, you're basically done.
Since particles not at absolute zero have finite energy, this point is non-trivial and proving this point was actually the focus. (Tangentially, I think this has been a common and strong intuition, and suggested by extrapolation from empirical evidence, that you could asymptotically approach but not reach absolute zero because it would be progressively harder as you got closer. But there's a difference between that and a mathematical proof grounded in assumptions that are well-accepted.)
Yes, if you have this as a known truth, you're basically done.