Diffusion
21st July 2014
Private & Confidential Copyright © Mr A Pépés
Diffusion.
Diffusion is basically described as a random distribution probability.
What does that mean?
Well scientists say that over time the likelihood of atoms or molecules moving randomly in a gas or a liquid would mean that they distribute approximately evenly in the gas or liquid (just by mere probabilities). So if you have a container and place a higher concentration of something in one corner it will slowly diffuse so that the concentration is more or less even (assuming no other forces act on it). This previous understanding of diffusion assumes that things are or can be random. I believe nothing is truly random but that things are chaotic and can seem random.
What is the big deal?
The big deal is that these are two different concepts and can have completely different outcomes.
Well if you believe in true randomness then you will believe that there is a small probability in theory that these random events could end up with all the atoms or molecules going back to the corner (even though this is extremely unlikely you can compute the unlikeliness of it, and still believe that it is a possibility).
If you don't believe in true randomness but believe the system is chaotic, it means that there is something happening that you may not know the answer to, or that it is too difficult to compute accurately. The end result will depend on what is truly happening and not just random events.
This may mean that some results are never possible even in theory, and that some results are inevitable (even in theory) and not unlikely.
I will use an example so that you can see the difference.
Let us assume that we replace the atoms or molecules with people, and we replace the container with a large room or hall. By doing this we also eliminate one of the dimensions, as people can only move along the floor of the hall whereas atoms and molecules can move up and down as well.
Suppose everyone was in one corner of the hall and let us say that they all moved randomly in any direction, but if they bumped into someone they would just change direction, according to the normal laws and forces, then continue to go in the new direction until they bump into someone else (or if you prefer they randomly change direction again).
What will happen, well they will spread around the hall, more or less evenly and thereafter appear to move randomly according to normal probabilities. If you believe in pure randomness then there is an extremely small probability (or chance) that they may all bump into each other in such a way that they all end up in the corner again (extremely unlikely but still theoretically possible).
Now image that there is no randomness, but the situation is chaotic (i.e. something is happening that you do not know about). Let us say that everyone just wants their bit of space around them, and if anyone comes into their space, then they are just going to push them away with their hands.
If someone is in front, behind or to either side of them, then they will push them with both hands. If someone is coming at them from both sides (or from the front and the back) then they will use one hand to push each one in opposite directions (180˚). If they approach one from the front and one from the side, then they will push with one hand forwards and one hand on the side (90˚), (plus all the other 90˚ side options).
Now if we run this scenario with the people in the corner of the hall, all starting in a random direction, then following the rules above, what happens?
They all seem to follow similar paths (appear random, like the previous random situation).
But when they are all more or less evenly spread out in the hall they will continue to act as if all are moving approximately random like the first scenario.
So what is the difference?
The difference is that they can not and will never get into a situation that they all end up in any corner. Theoretically it is impossible because even if they could all choose to start moving in that direction they will start to invade each other's space and start pushing away again in different directions.
So the difference between the two is that in the first case you think something is theoretically possible, and in the second case it is theoretically impossible. Also when you realise the difference you will see also that some things seem very unlikely just by chance (completely random), but that they can be inevitable if is just chaotic. I.e. The Universe does get more complex because it has to, complexity begets more complexity (explained in another Tea Break Book), which seems to defy Entropy.
What you have to consider is that Entropy has an opposite side to it, and as things appear to go to disorder on one scale, it goes to order on another scale (explained in another Tea Break Book).
Morph your mind with Morphological at
apepes.com
Private & Confidential Copyright © Mr A Pépés
Diffusion.
Diffusion is basically described as a random distribution probability.
What does that mean?
Well scientists say that over time the likelihood of atoms or molecules moving randomly in a gas or a liquid would mean that they distribute approximately evenly in the gas or liquid (just by mere probabilities). So if you have a container and place a higher concentration of something in one corner it will slowly diffuse so that the concentration is more or less even (assuming no other forces act on it). This previous understanding of diffusion assumes that things are or can be random. I believe nothing is truly random but that things are chaotic and can seem random.
What is the big deal?
The big deal is that these are two different concepts and can have completely different outcomes.
Well if you believe in true randomness then you will believe that there is a small probability in theory that these random events could end up with all the atoms or molecules going back to the corner (even though this is extremely unlikely you can compute the unlikeliness of it, and still believe that it is a possibility).
If you don't believe in true randomness but believe the system is chaotic, it means that there is something happening that you may not know the answer to, or that it is too difficult to compute accurately. The end result will depend on what is truly happening and not just random events.
This may mean that some results are never possible even in theory, and that some results are inevitable (even in theory) and not unlikely.
I will use an example so that you can see the difference.
Let us assume that we replace the atoms or molecules with people, and we replace the container with a large room or hall. By doing this we also eliminate one of the dimensions, as people can only move along the floor of the hall whereas atoms and molecules can move up and down as well.
Suppose everyone was in one corner of the hall and let us say that they all moved randomly in any direction, but if they bumped into someone they would just change direction, according to the normal laws and forces, then continue to go in the new direction until they bump into someone else (or if you prefer they randomly change direction again).
What will happen, well they will spread around the hall, more or less evenly and thereafter appear to move randomly according to normal probabilities. If you believe in pure randomness then there is an extremely small probability (or chance) that they may all bump into each other in such a way that they all end up in the corner again (extremely unlikely but still theoretically possible).
Now image that there is no randomness, but the situation is chaotic (i.e. something is happening that you do not know about). Let us say that everyone just wants their bit of space around them, and if anyone comes into their space, then they are just going to push them away with their hands.
If someone is in front, behind or to either side of them, then they will push them with both hands. If someone is coming at them from both sides (or from the front and the back) then they will use one hand to push each one in opposite directions (180˚). If they approach one from the front and one from the side, then they will push with one hand forwards and one hand on the side (90˚), (plus all the other 90˚ side options).
Now if we run this scenario with the people in the corner of the hall, all starting in a random direction, then following the rules above, what happens?
They all seem to follow similar paths (appear random, like the previous random situation).
But when they are all more or less evenly spread out in the hall they will continue to act as if all are moving approximately random like the first scenario.
So what is the difference?
The difference is that they can not and will never get into a situation that they all end up in any corner. Theoretically it is impossible because even if they could all choose to start moving in that direction they will start to invade each other's space and start pushing away again in different directions.
So the difference between the two is that in the first case you think something is theoretically possible, and in the second case it is theoretically impossible. Also when you realise the difference you will see also that some things seem very unlikely just by chance (completely random), but that they can be inevitable if is just chaotic. I.e. The Universe does get more complex because it has to, complexity begets more complexity (explained in another Tea Break Book), which seems to defy Entropy.
What you have to consider is that Entropy has an opposite side to it, and as things appear to go to disorder on one scale, it goes to order on another scale (explained in another Tea Break Book).
Morph your mind with Morphological at
apepes.com
