What's your take on this?

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holocene

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How many atoms do you figure occupy the entire universe? Can you even fathom such a number?<br /><br />Consider that a single spec of dust is comprised of around 3 Trillion atoms.<br /><br />So, how many atoms then would comprise the entire planet?<br /><br />Think it's a large number? Well, consider that our planet is only a very minuscule part of our solar-system. Then, consider that our solar-system is only a very minuscule part of our galaxy. Then, consider that out galaxy is only one in probably a billion galaxies.<br /><br />So, how many atoms are there in the entire universe?<br /><br />Well, apparently the number is not as large as the total amount of possible combinations you could use to arrange just 100 books on a bookshelf!!!<br /><br />Is this really true? The total number of atoms in the universe is absolutely astronomical!!!
 
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doubletruncation

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The number of ways you can arrange 100 books on a shelf is also astronomical! Think of it, you can choose from 100 different books for the first place, then each of these choices has 99 different books for the second place, and 98 different books for each of the above choices for the third place... and so on. The answer would 100*99*98*97*...*2*1 = 100! different ways to arrange the books. 100! is an immense number, roughly 10^158, or 1 with 158 zeros after it. Just think of how absurdly large that number is, you'd have to count to 10^157 ten times to get that number. You'd have to count to 10^156 100 times... etc etc.... If you counted to a trillion a trillion times, and did that a trillion more times, and did that a trillion more times, a trillion more times, a trillion more times, a trillion more times, a trillion more times, a trillion more times, a trillion more times, a trillion more times, a trillion more times, a trillion more times you'd finally count to 10^158. <br /><br />That number actually is larger than the estimated number of atoms in the universe, and not just by a little. Space is incredibly empty, on the large scale averaging over stars and planets and so on, there are only about 2 atoms for every 10 million cubic centimeters of space. The observable universe is contains about 3 * 10^86 cubic centimeters of space (note that's an stupendously enormous number, but actually 10^72 times smaller than the number of ways to arrange 100 books on a shelf - rediculous huh?). So if you multiply the density by the volume, you get about 10^80 atoms in the universe (see for example http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observable_universe ). That's huge: 100 million trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion atoms... but it's a million trillion trilllion trillion trillion trillion trillion times smaller than the number of ways to arrange 100 books on a shelf. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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billslugg

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Yes, BUT, how many ways are there to organize 10^80 atoms on a bookshelf?<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p> </div>
 
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Boris_Badenov

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That was an absolutely amazing answer. Are you a teacher? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>
 
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doubletruncation

Guest
roughly 10^(1.8*10^82).... or 1 with more than the number of atoms in the universe zeros after it <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" />. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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weeman

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I don't even know how to respond to this, haha! I might have figured that no one has even tried to calculate an estimate for the total number of atoms in the Universe. I too had read the Wikipedia article a while back, its very interesting stuff. However, now I have a headache from trying to think of a number thats 10^80, I need to lay down! <br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Techies: We do it in the dark. </font></strong></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>"Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That's relativity.</strong><strong>" -Albert Einstein </strong></font></p> </div>
 
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enigma10

Guest
<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Yes, BUT, how many ways are there to organize 10^80 atoms on a bookshelf? <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br /> Thats some bookshelf. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"<font color="#333399">An organism at war with itself is a doomed organism." - Carl Sagan</font></em> </div>
 
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exoscientist

Guest
But then how many atoms *could* fit in the universe if you packed them in tightly next to each other?<br /><br /> - Bob C. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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centsworth_II

Guest
<font color="yellow">But then how many atoms *could* fit in the universe if you packed them in tightly next to each other?<br /><br />- Bob C.</font><br /><br />None. They would keep collapsing into a black hole and disappearing. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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lukman

Guest
According to wikipedia, there are 10^88 atoms, some other sources say from 10^92 to 10^96. Please be aware that 10^89 is 10times more than 10^88. So, the highest estimation is 10^96 is 100,000,000 more than the modest wikipedia estimation. In my opinion, such estimation is way too unreliable for science to take the number seriously.<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atom <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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lukman

Guest
Ceteris paribus, unbelievable number of atoms will fit, because our universe is something 0.00000000000000000001% occupied. Infact our universe is very much an empty space or more vacum than your vacum cleaner can make. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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robnissen

Guest
Somewhat related to your original question. The number of ways of arranging 52 cards in a deck of cards is 52!. Therefore, the odds are astronomicaaly against ANY two decks of well-shuffled cards EVER having been in the EXACT same order. That just amazes me.
 
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