1. The Physics of Limits.
- Author
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Murphy, Thomas W.
- Subjects
- *
PHYSICS , *SPACE environment , *PHYSICAL sciences - Abstract
Although physics does not often veer into financial concerns, it is an illuminating exercise to try estimating the value of a barren planet at market prices for dirt, rock, water, copper, aluminum, silver, gold, etc. Energy perspectives Physics "owns" energy (and space and time if we're being greedy), so energy and power domains offer rich opportunities for gaining new understanding. The thermodynamic consequences of this absurdity can also be examined, by which it is revealed that waste heat from all this energy production on Earth would rival climate change in a century and be 10 times worse a century after that, eventually boiling Earth's oceans in about 400 yr.[3] It can be tricky to convey to students that this is not a I prediction i of what I will i - or even I can i - happen, but a tool to understand I limits i to what is possible and what I cannot i transpire. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
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