Definition
The heat death paradox, also known as thermodynamic paradox, Clausius' paradox, and Kelvin's paradox, is a reductio ad absurdum argument that uses thermodynamics to show the impossibility of an infinitely old universe. It was formulated in February 1862 by Lord Kelvin and expanded upon by Hermann von Helmholtz and William John Macquorn Rankine.
Related concepts
Absolute zeroBig BangBoltzmann BrainCosmologyEntropy as an arrow of timeEternal inflationHeatHeat death of the universeHeat flowHelmholtzHermann von HelmholtzLambda-CDMList of paradoxesLord KelvinM. Norton WiseMaximum entropy thermodynamicsOlbers' paradoxOxford University PressParadigmParadoxReductio ad absurdumRudolf ClausiusSean M. CarrollSecond law of thermodynamicsSempiternalStarStatic universeStatistical fluctuationsSunTemperatureThermodynamic equilibriumThermodynamic free energyThermodynamic temperatureThermodynamicsW. J. M. RankineWilliam John Macquorn Rankine
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