Editing 2989: Physics Lab Thermostat

{{comic
| number    = 2989
| date      = September 23, 2024
| title     = Physics Lab Thermostat
| image     = physics_lab_thermostat_2x.png
| imagesize = 264x296px
| noexpand  = true
| titletext = Hopefully the HVAC people set it to only affect the AIR in the room.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by ChatGPT, an actual bot, with the help of human copyeditors and critics as found on the talk page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic is about a thermostat in a physics lab which, instead of directly controlling the air temperature, adjusts the {{w|Boltzmann constant}} in the immediate area, a value relating temperature to energy equal to 1.38×10<sup>−23</sup> J/K, where J is {{w|joule}}s, a unit of energy, and K is {{w|kelvin}}, a unit of temperature. The dial shows different values for the constant, implying that it can be changed, which is absurd because the Boltzmann constant is a fundamental number that is the same throughout the universe. In reality, there is no way to change the Boltzmann constant, so the comic is making fun of the idea of a scientist casually adjusting a fixed law of physics as if it were something simple like room temperature.

If the Boltzmann constant could be changed, it would directly affect how we experience temperature. The equivalent energy range relative to the actual Boltzmann constant might correspond to temperatures of 15°C (59°F) on the left, to 29°C (84°F) on the right (since raising the value of the constant decreases the temperature for a given energy level). The dial appears to be set to approximately 23°C (73°F), a not untypical desired room temperature within a fairly standard range of thermostat-style choice. <!-- Editor's note: I'm quite worried that we're back-calculating to the very assumptions we've used to establish what the scale means in the first place... i.e., it'd depend upon the actual E as to what the kT turns out to be. But... whatever. --> There have previously been control panels for properties of the universe in [[1620: Christmas Settings]] and [[1763: Catcalling]]. A thermometer including units compatible with this thermostat (after dividing by 2/3) is shown in [[2292: Thermometer]].

The title text builds on the absurdity of being able to adjust the Boltzmann constant. It suggests that if the constant could be changed, hopefully it would only affect the air in the room and not other substances. Imagining that this strange version of an HVAC ({{w|heating, ventilation, and air conditioning}}) system could contain such a change to ''just'' the room's air shows the ridiculousness of trying to isolate the effects of altering a universal constant.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[A black circular dial is shown with a white indicator line at the upper right. The label above the dial, enclosed in a rectangular box, says:]
:Local Boltzmann Constant
:[The two extremes of the dial are labeled as follows, the first value on the left and the second value on the right:]
:1.418×10<sup>-23</sup> J/K
:1.351×10<sup>-23</sup> J/K
:[The indicator line is pointing to a position on the dial somewhere around 1.375×10<sup>-23</sup> J/K (between the 12th and 13th large ticks clockwise out of 19 total).]
:[Caption below the panel:]
:Physics Lab Thermostat

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Physics]]