Einstein, when asked what he thought time was, replied, "Time is that which is measured by a clock." Others see time as a linear dimension, or a fuzzy overlay of a dimension on top of our 3 space dimensions. I see it as being established by entropy. What's yours?
2007-03-31 16:07:56 · 8 answers · asked by gryphen 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Einsteins reply and your idea of entropy are very similar. When the clock is wound it has a highly ordered, low entropy state. As the clock runs the energy is disapated so increasing the entropy.
On the large scale i cant see any flaw in your idea because there will always be space for the increase in entropy but in a closed system where entropy could remain stable/decrease, could time stop or go backwards? would this be a problem because the laws of physics are unchanged by C,P,T symmetries?
Anyway let the disorder increase on my desk, it gives me more time.
2007-03-31 20:56:07 · answer #1 · answered by colin p 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Einstein was right. Just as space is that which is measured by a ruler.
The problem for us is that we have no place to stand outside of time to define it. Your definition seems to fail when entropy reaches a maximum at some location or even reaches some stable state. There would be no time in those situations.
There is an idea linked to time you might explore, 'historicity', which is the 'how this came to be', it's path through time and whether historicity is a property of all real things, or if some things can lose it. Are all protons identical? Or do they differ in historicity and what does that mean?
2007-03-31 16:19:27 · answer #2 · answered by xaviar_onasis 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Time is a measure of distance between events.
2007-03-31 16:13:00 · answer #3 · answered by Boof 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I see time as the RESULT of energy state changes and it just so happens that energy goes from a high state to a lower state (mostly) which we perceive as time passing....
2007-03-31 16:20:14 · answer #4 · answered by Daniel H 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's the difference between yesterday, today and tomorrow.
2007-03-31 16:12:18 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Time is one thing that no one has enough of!
2007-03-31 16:16:01 · answer #6 · answered by smarties 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Time is an infinity of "nows".
2007-03-31 16:12:21 · answer #7 · answered by Doctor J 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Time is a trick.
2007-03-31 16:11:14 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋