Shan, Gao (2011) Is Gravity an Entropic Force?

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Abstract

The remarkable connections between gravity and thermodynamics seem to imply that gravity is not fundamental but emergent, and in particular, as Verlinde suggested, gravity is probably an entropic force. In this paper, we will argue that the idea of gravity as an entropic force is debatable. It is shown that there is no convincing analogy between gravity and entropic force in Verlinde’s example. Neither holographic screen nor test particle satisfies all requirements for the existence of entropic force in a thermodynamics system. Furthermore, we show that the entropy increase of the screen is not caused by its statistical tendency to increase entropy as required by the existence of entropic force, but in fact caused by gravity. Therefore, Verlinde’s argument for the entropic origin of gravity is problematic. In addition, we argue that the existence of a minimum size of spacetime, together with the Heisenberg uncertainty principle in quantum theory, may imply the fundamental existence of gravity as a geometric property of spacetime. This may provide a further support for the conclusion that gravity is not an entropic force.

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Item Type:	Published Article or Volume
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Shan, Gao sgao7319@uni.sydney.edu.au
Additional Information:	Published in Entropy special issue “Black Hole Thermodynamics”, Jacob D. Bekenstein (eds). 13, 936-948 (2011).
Keywords:	gravity; thermodynamics; entropic force; discrete spacetime
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics
Depositing User:	Dr. Shan Gao
Date Deposited:	25 Sep 2011 14:00
Last Modified:	25 Sep 2011 14:00
Item ID:	8805
Official URL:	http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/13/5/936/
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics
Date:	22 September 2011
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/8805

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• Why gravity is not an entropic force. (deposited 07 Nov 2010 15:13)
  • Is Gravity an Entropic Force? (deposited 25 Sep 2011 14:00) [Currently Displayed]

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