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Tripitaka comments on Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 21, chapters 91 & 92 - Less Wrong Discussion

4 Post author: NancyLebovitz 04 July 2013 11:49AM

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Comment author: Tripitaka 05 July 2013 06:35:31PM 0 points [-]

Any thoughts on the changing/cooling issue? That seems to really get brushed off. Is a perfect diamond supposed to be absolutely stable at room temperature?

Comment author: Plasmon 05 July 2013 06:43:14PM 3 points [-]

It isn't

Contrary to the popular belief that "diamonds are forever", they are in fact thermodynamically unstable under normal conditions and transform into graphite.[13] However, due to a high activation energy barrier, the transition into graphite is so extremely slow at room temperature as to be unnoticeable.

Comment author: Decius 06 July 2013 03:06:38AM 0 points [-]

What is the most stable thing at room temperature, with magical assistance?

Comment author: Velorien 06 July 2013 01:23:46PM 0 points [-]

Arguably a troll - it's constantly transfiguring itself back into the same form.

Comment author: Decius 06 July 2013 10:17:29PM 2 points [-]

So transfigure Hermione's brain into a troll until you figure out how to save her.

Twitch.

Comment author: TobyBartels 07 July 2013 01:42:24AM 1 point [-]

I don't think that a troll's transfiguration is supposed be stable at that level of detail.