Is gravity an entropic force?

DOI10.3390/E13050936MaRDI QIDQ400857zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Shan Gao

Publication date 26 August 2014

Published in Entropy (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1002.2668

zbMATH Keywords

discrete spacetimeentropic forcegravitythermodynamics

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Classical and relativistic thermodynamics (80A10) String and superstring theories; other extended objects (e.g., branes) in quantum field theory (81T30) Gravitational interaction in quantum theory (81V17) Einstein's equations (general structure, canonical formalism, Cauchy problems) (83C05) Quantization of the gravitational field (83C45) Relativistic cosmology (83F05)

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.

Review text

Summary: The remarkable connections between gravity and thermodynamics seem to imply that gravity is not fundamental but emergent, and in particular, as \textit{E. Verlinde} [J. High Energy Phys. 2011, No.~4, Paper No.~029, 27 p. (2011; Zbl 1260.81284)] 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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Cites work

• Black holes and entropy
• Entropy density of space-time and gravity: a conceptual synthesis
• On the origin of gravity and the laws of Newton
• Particle creation by black holes
• The four laws of black hole mechanics
• Thermodynamics of Spacetime: The Einstein Equation of State

Cited in

(15)

• On the origin of entropic gravity and inertia
• Entropic law of force, emergent gravity and the uncertainty principle
• Entropic force and its fluctuation in Euclidean quantum gravity
• Hidden symmetries for thermodynamics and emergence of relativity
• Surface gravity and Hawking temperature from entropic force viewpoint
• Newtonian gravity as an entropic force: towards a derivation of G
• Dissipation of modified entropic gravitational energy through gravitational waves
• Entropic corrections to Coulomb's law
• Remarks on the equipartition rule and thermodynamics of Reissner-Nordstrom black holes
• Conservative entropic forces
• Considerations on gravity as an entropic force and entangled states
• The other way around: from alternative gravity to entropy
• Dilatonic entropic force
• On the origin of gravity and the laws of Newton
• Classical spacetime as a gravitational condensate: USMEG-EFT emergence in comparison to Verlinde's entropic gravity

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