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Chapter 17: Problem 37

Explain the following nursery rhyme in terms of the second law of thermodynamics. Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall; Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the King's horses and all the King's men Couldn't put Humpty together again.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The 'Humpty Dumpty' rhyme represents the second law of thermodynamics by showcasing an irreversible increase in entropy, from an ordered (Humpty sitting on the wall) to disordered (Humpty shattered) state. Despite efforts, the process can't be reversed, underlining the principle of the law.

Step by step solution

01

Explaining Setting

Humpty Dumpty, likely a large egg, sits on a wall. This represents a system in a high energy, unstable, and ordered state.
02

Interpreting the Fall

When Humpty Dumpty falls and breaks, this introduces a transition from an ordered to a disordered state, signifying an increase in entropy. That is characteristic of the second law of thermodynamics.
03

Understanding the Aftermath

Despite all the King's horses and men, they can't put Humpty together again. This part implies the irreversibility of the process, aligning with the fact that in natural processes, entropy increase is irreversible.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

(a) Over the years there have been numerous claims about "perpetual motion machines," machines that will produce useful work with no input of energy. Explain why the first law of thermodynamics prohibits the possibility of such a machine existing. (b) Another kind of machine, sometimes called a "perpetual motion of the second kind," operates as follows. Suppose an ocean liner sails by scooping up water from the ocean and then extracting heat from the water, converting the heat to electric power to run the ship, and dumping the water back into the ocean. This process does not violate the first law of thermodynamics, for no energy is created - energy from the ocean is just converted to electrical energy. Show that the second law of thermodynamics prohibits the existence of such a machine.

Which of the following thermodynamic functions are associated only with the first law of thermodynamics: \(S, U, G, H ?\)

State whether the sign of the entropy change expected for each of the following processes will be positive or negative, and explain your predictions. (a) \(\mathrm{PCl}_{3}(l)+\mathrm{Cl}_{2}(g) \longrightarrow \mathrm{PCl}_{5}(s)\) (b) \(2 \mathrm{HgO}(s) \longrightarrow 2 \mathrm{Hg}(l)+\mathrm{O}_{2}(g)\) (c) \(\mathrm{H}_{2}(g) \longrightarrow 2 \mathrm{H}(g)\) (d) \(\mathrm{U}(s)+3 \mathrm{~F}_{2}(g) \longrightarrow \mathrm{UF}_{6}(s)\)

How does the entropy of a system change for each of the following processes? (a) A solid melts. (b) A liquid freezes. (c) A liquid boils. (d) A vapor is converted to a solid. (e) A vapor condenses to a liquid. (f) A solid sublimes. (g) Urea dissolves in water.

The equilibrium constant \(\left(K_{P}\right)\) for the reaction $$ \mathrm{H}_{2}(g)+\mathrm{CO}_{2}(g) \rightleftharpoons \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}(g)+\mathrm{CO}(g) $$ is 4.40 at \(2000 \mathrm{~K}\). (a) Calculate \(\Delta G^{\circ}\) for the reaction. (b) Calculate \(\Delta G\) for the reaction when the partial pressures are \(P_{\mathrm{H}_{2}}=0.25 \mathrm{~atm}, P_{\mathrm{CO}_{2}}=0.78 \mathrm{~atm}\) \(P_{\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}}=0.66 \mathrm{~atm},\) and \(P_{\mathrm{CO}}=1.20 \mathrm{~atm}\)
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