Ground State Energy

Final point on this while I’m thinking about it.

Energy is relative. You can go negative (when the system does work on you). As such, a zero level of energy might not mean exactly what it sounds like, nor would a positive amount of energy necessarily mean the ability to do things.

So if our previous system has 1/2 an eV, that might be zero.

What’s weird about quantum…one thing that’s weird about quantum is that energy is calculated relative to other things that aren’t energy. So if you take a Hamiltonian of a wavefunction, you get an energy. But you’re not entirely sure what that energy is in relation to. If you take a classical Hamiltonian of a rock on a sled going down a hill, you know what the energy is relative to. It’s the hill. In a quantum state? Eh. Things can get kinda squiggly.

There’s a real theory in quantum that says, ‘Quantum is impossible to understand so don’t try.’ I think that’s my ideological justification for my denial of QT, even though by all practical standards, it works incredibly well.

Perpetual Motion 2

A bit about zero point energy.

Many systems in the world have a ground state energy > zero. So at ‘rest’ the system has a little energy in it. This is pretty common.

‘Zero point energy’ is a term that refers to using this energy to do stuff.

So suppose a system in the ground state has half an eV. That’s a low but not atypical energy level. That energy does exist, but it can’t be used.

But Matt, you say, isn’t the literal definition of energy the ability to do work? Doesn’t that violate the nature of what energy is?

Fantasic question. The short answer is, it sounds like it, doesn’t it?

Perhaps, but perhaps not. Suppose there are barriers to enter or exit a system. If those barriers are 1/2 eV ‘tall’ then a ground state of 1/2 eV might not be usable as the system is constructed. I have no idea if this exists, and it would probably be specific system dependent.

Now a lot of people have concocted ideas to use this ground state energy to do stuff. As yet, none have proved useful. (There are a few where people discovered the ground state could be changed, and that is useful to know. It’s not useful from an energy generation or more accurately, energy harnessing, perspective.) I’m ignoring systems doing things that the system would do by itself anyway.

So zero point energy isn’t the same as ground state energy, even though they sound like the same thing.

Perpetual Motion

Does not exist. Free energy does not exist. Zero point energy does not exist.

If ever someone claims they ‘discovered’ free energy, they did not. The least breakable of all laws of physics is the second law of thermo. There’s something missing from this, or it won’t work.

If I may speculate, with only have read non-sciency papers, the powersource may be a thermal device, or it may be a mechanical device based on deformation. Either way, Energy in >= energy out (if we neglect heat losses, leakage, etc). Saying ‘physicist discovers’ or ‘graphene’ doesn’t break the 2nd.

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Bloomberg does not have wise opinion writers. They need Matt Levine back, but I have nothing but respect for him taking his paternity leave. More people should do that.

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My bear Chunk won his first matchup in Fat Bear Week.

FYI, they post two pictures for each bear, a befoe and after. That way you can see the change. That caught me at first.

Today we have two contests. In the first, Walker vs Otis I’m going with Walker. In the latter contest (same page as above) 812 vs 747, neither bear has a name, which I find a little unacceptable. I’m going to call them Jumbo Jet and Galaxy, because frankly, 812 is the fatter bear with superior fishing skills. Vote Walker/Galaxy 10/2/2020!

Fortran

The king does not die.

If you need to do math, pure math, no I/O, no graphics, no saving, no table reads, nothing but math, F still sits on the digital throne.

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If you ever consider self publishing a novel, I strongly encourage you to do something better for your mental health. Try arguing politics on Twitter.