Time and entropy have a very intimate relationship in physics . The full S of an quarantined system ( such as the universe ) always increases . correctly in the direction of the pointer of clip . For a long time , there has been a suspicion that the two are somehow related although we have yet to find strong evidence for it .
While understanding time itself and its relationship with entropy still elude us , researchers might have had more fate with clocks . It appears that the more exact a clock is the more entropy it generate . This connecter was known for idealized clocksat the quantum level . And researchers question if this could be broaden all the room to the macroscopic level .
They did not get all the way there , but they were able to get close to our level . In a newspaper , accepted for publishing inPhysical Review X , the squad describes a nanometer - thick membrane about 1.5 mm long that was made to oscillate like the tick of a clock .
The vibration was create thanks to an electric signal sent through the tissue layer . The higher the electrical signal , the more exact the quivering . Once the team report for other sources of disturbance , the remain thermal noise is seen to directly increase with the accuracy .
" If you want a effective clock , you have to compensate for it , " co - author physicist Natalia Ares of the University of Oxford toldScience News .
find the relation ( although unlike ) is sure as shooting exciting but it ’s one based on a undivided clock , so alike investigation into every clock would need to take place before we can popularise the solvent . The finding also highlight that have a clock that generates a lot of S does n’t necessarily mean that it is actually is more accurate . It ’s not a two - way street .
" The accuracy is only a lower bound on the entropy creation , making it entirely possible for the organization to break up more information at higher drive powers without providing more accurate ticks " the squad wrote in thepaper . “The fact that we nonetheless see such a consistent linear relationship between the truth and the entropy production for a considerable range of cavum and white noise cause , indicate that our clock ’s public presentation is close to optimal and that we are correctly identify the relevant entropy contributions . "
Physicists have latterly topped historical record for truth in timekeeping . These optic clocks are100 times more precisethan atomic clock . The mensuration now have doubt of less than 8 parts per one billion , billion or ( or 0.000000000000000008 ) . If we desire to go further , our apprehension of the relationship between selective information and clocks could become very important .
[ h / t : Science News ]
