sistemas vivientes como disipadores de gradientes
Boltzmann mencionaba hace once décadas que los sistemas vivos entran en competición por aprovechar la fuentes de baja entropía y la entropía disponible, esto es, el gradiente entre el cálido sol y la fría superficie planetaria.
Living
Systems as Gradient Dissipators
We will now focus our attention on the role of thermodynamics in the evolution
of living systems. The father of statistical thermodynamics, Boltzmann
recognized the apparent contradiction between the thermodynamically predicted
randomized cold death of the universe and the existence of a process (i.e.
life) in nature by which systems grow, complexify, and evolve, all of which
reduce their internal entropy.
As early as 1886 Boltzmann observed that the
gradient on earth, caused by the energy provided by the sun, drives the living
process and suggested a Darwinean like competition for entropy in living
systems.
"Between the earth and sun, however, there is a colossal temperature
difference; between these two bodies energy is thus not at all distributed
according to the laws of probability. The equalization of temperature, based
on the tendency towards greater probability, takes millions of years, because
the bodies are so large and are so far apart.
The intermediate forms assumed
by solar energy, until it falls to terrestrial temperatures, can be fairly
improbable, so that we can easily use the transition of heat from sun to earth
for the performance of work, like the transition of water from the boiler to
the cooling instillation. The general struggle for existence of animate beings
is therefore not a struggle for raw materials - these, for organisms, are air,
water and soil, all abundantly available - nor for energy which exists in
plenty in any body in the form of heat (albeit unfortunately not
transformable), but a struggle for entropy, which becomes available through the
transition of energy from the hot sun to the cold earth. In order to exploit
this transition as much as possible, plants spread their immense surface of
leaves and force the sun's energy, before it falls to the earth's temperature,
to perform in ways yet unexplored certain chemical syntheses of which no one in
our laboratories has so far the least idea. The products of this chemical
kitchen constitute the object of struggle of the animal world."(Boltzmann)
29.mar.2000
Pulsar tecla de vuelta
Glosario de Carlos von der Becke.
As early as 1886 Boltzmann observed that the
gradient on earth, caused by the energy provided by the sun, drives the living
process and suggested a Darwinean like competition for entropy in living
systems.
"Between the earth and sun, however, there is a colossal temperature
difference; between these two bodies energy is thus not at all distributed
according to the laws of probability. The equalization of temperature, based
on the tendency towards greater probability, takes millions of years, because
the bodies are so large and are so far apart.
The intermediate forms assumed
by solar energy, until it falls to terrestrial temperatures, can be fairly
improbable, so that we can easily use the transition of heat from sun to earth
for the performance of work, like the transition of water from the boiler to
the cooling instillation. The general struggle for existence of animate beings
is therefore not a struggle for raw materials - these, for organisms, are air,
water and soil, all abundantly available - nor for energy which exists in
plenty in any body in the form of heat (albeit unfortunately not
transformable), but a struggle for entropy, which becomes available through the
transition of energy from the hot sun to the cold earth. In order to exploit
this transition as much as possible, plants spread their immense surface of
leaves and force the sun's energy, before it falls to the earth's temperature,
to perform in ways yet unexplored certain chemical syntheses of which no one in
our laboratories has so far the least idea. The products of this chemical
kitchen constitute the object of struggle of the animal world."(Boltzmann)
29.mar.2000
Pulsar tecla de vuelta
Glosario de Carlos von der Becke.
"Between the earth and sun, however, there is a colossal temperature difference; between these two bodies energy is thus not at all distributed according to the laws of probability. The equalization of temperature, based on the tendency towards greater probability, takes millions of years, because the bodies are so large and are so far apart.The intermediate forms assumed by solar energy, until it falls to terrestrial temperatures, can be fairly improbable, so that we can easily use the transition of heat from sun to earth for the performance of work, like the transition of water from the boiler to the cooling instillation. The general struggle for existence of animate beings is therefore not a struggle for raw materials - these, for organisms, are air, water and soil, all abundantly available - nor for energy which exists in plenty in any body in the form of heat (albeit unfortunately not transformable), but a struggle for entropy, which becomes available through the transition of energy from the hot sun to the cold earth. In order to exploit this transition as much as possible, plants spread their immense surface of leaves and force the sun's energy, before it falls to the earth's temperature, to perform in ways yet unexplored certain chemical syntheses of which no one in our laboratories has so far the least idea. The products of this chemical kitchen constitute the object of struggle of the animal world."(Boltzmann)
29.mar.2000
Pulsar tecla de vuelta
Glosario de Carlos von der Becke.