Why did the universe have such low entropy in the past, resulting in the distinction between past and future and the

Question: Why did the universe have such low entropy in the past, resulting in the distinction between past and future and the second law of thermodynamics?
- Keywords:
  entropy,
  future,
  law,
  past,
  thermodynamic,
  universe
Asked by waveicle to Adam, Rob, Sheila, Suzie on 23 Mar 2011 in Categories: Space.
- Adam Tuff answered on 23 Mar 2011:
  
  Now this is something I don’t know! Perhaps everything existing at one point in space means that it’s as ordered as it can possibily get i.e. entropy = 0? That’s a real thinker!
- Suzie Sheehy answered on 23 Mar 2011:
  
  The universe was initially very hot and had all the energy distributed uniformly, which just happens to be a low entropy state. If it had been a high-entropy state then it would only increase anyway… so we would probably call it low anyway!
- Robert Simpson answered on 23 Mar 2011:
  
  After the big bang, the Universe was very simple in terms of what it was made up – it was a big hot plasma of simple particles. So it had low entropy, but thats not necessarily the reason we have a second law of thermodynamics or an arrow of time.
- Sheila Kanani answered on 23 Mar 2011:
  
  Blimey where are you getting your questions from waveicle? Your teacher is very proud of you by the way 🙂
  The young universe had low entropy because it was hot and simplistic, and got more complicated over time. Not sure about the rest of the q, sorry!

waveicle commented on 23 Mar 2011:

Thanks! would there be any point where the universe couldn’t increase its entropy any farther? And how do we know it has reached its highest limit?

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waveicle commented on 23 Mar 2011:

@Sheila, by reading books! Currently reading “The Grand Design” by Stephen Hawking.

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Question: Why did the universe have such low entropy in the past, resulting in the distinction between past and future and the second law of thermodynamics?