4 ms·
> The core contains 1e31 J of energy What does that mean? Does it mean the core temp will drop to zero degree kelvin when 1e31 J is removed from it? Can we re
by programmer_dude 9y ago
> The core contains 1e31 J of energy
What does that mean? Does it mean the core temp will drop to zero degree kelvin when 1e31 J is removed from it?
Can we realistically bring the core temp down to absolute zero? I think you need a temperature difference between a "source" (here earth's core) and a "sink" (here surface of the earth (radiation), atmosphere (convection)) to drive any engine. So geothermal energy stops being useful when this difference is zero or less?
- AnkhMorporkian 9y agoNo, definitely not. It would reach the temperature of the other side of the heatsink, and since that's 30 billion years, the Earth will be long, long, LONG gone by then. Even if the sun doesn't engulf the earth, the lowest it could get would be the temperature of the CMB, which is about 3K. Granted, over a couple trillion years, that number would lower. Reaching absolute zero is pretty much one of the only few things that physicists consider impossible, along with exceeding light speed.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]