Discussion:
Below absolute zero???
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4***@gmail.com
2013-04-03 19:10:15 UTC
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I don't know if anyone else noticed this, but I'll mention it
anyway.
Last night I was watching the ST:TNG episode "The Royale". You
know, the one where Riker et al are trapped in the casino. Anyway, when
they arrive at the planet, LaForge does a scan of the surface, complaining
about the hostile environment and all that. But he mentions that the
surface temperature is -291C !!!
But how is this possible? Absolute zero (0 Kelvins) has been
calculated at approximately -273.15C, and it is a known fact that nothing
may achieve a temperature lower than that. You'd think that the ST
technical advisors would know better!
Dave Knott
The script:
GEORDI
(studying the screen)
Nasty. Nitrogen... methane...
liquid neon. Surface temperature
minus two hundred and ninety-one
degrees Fahrenheit. Winds up to
three hundred and twelve meters
per second.

There's always a simpler explanation, but I'd have preferred an intentional reference to something 'impossible' just to exercise the brain with contemplating how it could bed done.
nuny@bid.nes
2013-04-03 20:56:40 UTC
Permalink
Post by 4***@gmail.com
I don't know if anyone else noticed this, but I'll mention it
anyway.
   Last night I was watching the ST:TNG episode "The Royale". You
know, the one where Riker et al are trapped in the casino. Anyway, when
they arrive at the planet, LaForge does a scan of the surface, complaining
about the hostile environment and all that. But he mentions that the
surface temperature is -291C !!!
   But how is this possible? Absolute zero (0 Kelvins) has been
calculated at approximately -273.15C, and it is a known fact that nothing
may achieve a temperature lower than that. You'd think that the ST
technical advisors would know better!
Dave Knott
GEORDI
                                (studying the screen)
                        Nasty. Nitrogen... methane...
                        liquid neon. Surface temperature
                        minus two hundred and ninety-one
                        degrees Fahrenheit. Winds up to
                        three hundred and twelve meters
                        per second.
There's always a simpler explanation, but I'd have preferred an intentional reference
to something 'impossible' just to exercise the brain with contemplating how it could
bed done.
That took all the fun out of it.

OTOH one might Google for "negative absolute temperature".


Mark L. Fergerson

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