Editing 1166: Argument

Jump to: navigation, search

Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.

The edit can be undone. Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.
Latest revision Your text
Line 11: Line 11:
 
A {{w|perpetual motion machine}} is a hypothetical device that is supposed to move infinitely with no external forces helping it, thus providing an unlimited source of energy. The existence of such an object would contradict the laws of thermodynamics, so perpetual motion machines are known to be impossible.
 
A {{w|perpetual motion machine}} is a hypothetical device that is supposed to move infinitely with no external forces helping it, thus providing an unlimited source of energy. The existence of such an object would contradict the laws of thermodynamics, so perpetual motion machines are known to be impossible.
  
A conspiracy theory called {{rw|free_energy_suppression|free energy suppression}} asserts that it really is possible to get infinite energy and special interest groups have worked to hide it. In the comic, Randall says that he posted to a forum dedicated to the idea back in 2004, and the thread is still active — it kept on going forever, like the perpetual motion machine they desire (in contrast with real attempts to build such a machine, which all stop quite soon). Of course, the reason the thread continues is that its advocates continue to add energy to it, in the form of comments. "Hot air", if you will.
+
A conspiracy theory called {{rw|free_energy_suppression|Free energy suppression}} asserts that it really is possible to get infinite energy and special interest groups have worked to hide it. In the comic, Randall says that he posted to a forum dedicated to the idea back in 2004, and the thread is still active — it kept on going forever, like the perpetual motion machine they desire (in contrast with real attempts to build such a machine, which all stop quite soon). Of course, the reason the thread continues is that its advocates continue to add energy to it, in the form of comments. "Hot air", if you will.
  
 
The {{w|second law of thermodynamics}} states that the {{w|entropy}} of an ''isolated'' system never decreases. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2knWCuzcdJo See this video about entropy]. Thus, even if you could build a perpetual motion machine, you wouldn't be able to use it to produce energy that could be consumed by another device.
 
The {{w|second law of thermodynamics}} states that the {{w|entropy}} of an ''isolated'' system never decreases. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2knWCuzcdJo See this video about entropy]. Thus, even if you could build a perpetual motion machine, you wouldn't be able to use it to produce energy that could be consumed by another device.
Line 26: Line 26:
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
:[A page from a very long thread on "''FREE'' Energy ~Forum~."]
+
:[A page from a very long thread on "Free Energy Forum."]
 
:'''Thread:''' You're all crackpots who don't understand thermodynamics.
 
:'''Thread:''' You're all crackpots who don't understand thermodynamics.
:[A bar above the comments:] Page 547 of 547 <<First <Prev <u>1</u> <u>2</u> <u>3</u>... <u>545</u> <u>546</u> '''547'''
+
:Page 547 of 547
:Poster 1 [Default face icon]: No, idiot, only the ''north'' end of a magnet increases entropy. The south end decreases it.
+
:Poster 1: No, idiot, only the ''north'' end of a magnet increases entropy. The south end decreases it.
:Poster 2 [Power strip plugged into itself icon]: I wiki'd this "First Law" and I don't see the issue. My device isn't a robot and doesn't harm humans.
+
:Poster 2: I wiki'd this "First Law" and I don't see the issue. My device isn't a robot and doesn't harm humans.
:Poster 3 [Person with a large structure behind them icon]: What if we trick the government into only suppressing the ''left'' side of the flywheel?
+
:Poster 3: What if we trick the government into only suppressing the ''left'' side of the flywheel?
 
:Ironically, the argument I started on a perpetual motion forum in 2004 shows no signs of slowing down.
 
:Ironically, the argument I started on a perpetual motion forum in 2004 shows no signs of slowing down.
  

Please note that all contributions to explain xkcd may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here.
You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see explain xkcd:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission!

To protect the wiki against automated edit spam, we kindly ask you to solve the following CAPTCHA:

Cancel | Editing help (opens in new window)

Templates used on this page: