Chapter 10 of 10All chapters
Chapter 10 of 10
Time and the universe
The largest consequence.
The arrow of time
Most physical laws work equally well forwards and backwards. The second law does not, which is why we remember the past and not the future.
- A smashed cup never reassembles, though no law of force forbids it.
- The asymmetry traces back to the universe starting in a very low entropy state.
Heat death
Extrapolated far enough, the universe approaches uniform temperature with no gradients left to do work. It is a long way off, and it follows from the same law that limits your car engine.