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[Phys-L] Re: Quotation



... So the core idea is, I think, that when you get down to energy
differences where quanta are important, energy transfer is less easy
then when you have energy differences are so large that quantum
effects are not observable. Then there are many channels for energy
transfer and so energy is transferred from macroscopic motion and
objects stop.

This may be "true enough" from a pragmatic point of view, but the
bulk translational and rotational motions of each one of the
macroscopic interacting objects represent six degrees of freedom.
These degrees of freedom will be populated, on average, with an
energy of 3kT after thermal equilibrium is reached. Thus, the
objects will very definitely be in perpetual--even if possibly
negligible--motion.

So the statement is indeed true enough.

I'd have to disagree because it seems to me that the statement wasn't
referring to pragmatic matters. By using words like "prove" (I
confess; that one really rattles my cage) and "impossibility," it has
the ring of an attempt to convey a profound or absolute truth. "True
enough" isn't "good enough" in such cases.

--
John "Slo" Mallinckrodt

Professor of Physics, Cal Poly Pomona
<http://www.csupomona.edu/~ajm>

and

Lead Guitarist, Out-Laws of Physics
<http://www.csupomona.edu/~hsleff/OoPs.html>
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