cmgiuliani@watrose.UUCP (cmgiuliani) (03/21/84)
Like many people, I have heard that by current theory, there is no reason
why I should not find myself in hard vacum, while all the air in the room
decides to spend some time in one corner of the room -- it is just **very**
improbable.
But my roommate the engineer points out that this seems to violate the laws
of thermodynamics.
In theory, it should be possible to build an insulated box (a closed system)
filled with a gas. Then add an apparatus to trap all the gas as soon as
it all conveniently collects in one half of the box. Thus entropy of the box
is decreased, if you wait long enough for this unspeakably (literally)
improbable event to occur.
???????????????????????????????????
Anybody out there who knows better? Please respond by mail, as
I do not regularly read net.physics -- or drop me a note to let
me know that an answer has been posted.
Thanks --
Carlo