Heat energy can only be transferred from a container at one temperature to
a container at a lower temperature.
Therefore it is impossible to remove the last bit of heat energy from a
container thus making its temperature 0.
(This works even with a refrigerator where the lowest temperature is in the
expansion chamber)
Alex. F. Burr
In a message dated 1/26/2011 3:18:16 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,
hfakhrud@bsu.edu writes:
The Third Law of Thermodynamics states that it is 'impossible to reach
absolute zero in a finite number of steps'.
How can we explain this law to students at, say, AP physics level?
Thanks,
~ Hasan Fakhruddin
Instructor of Physics
The Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities
Ball State University
Muncie, IN 47306
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