Comment on the statement: "Just talking about entropy increases its value in the universe."

The second law of thermodynamics is a fundamental principle that has vast implications on energy systems. It states that in an isolated system, the total entropy, or the measure of disorder, can never decrease over time. This means that energy transformations are not 100% efficient, as some energy is always dispersed as waste heat, contributing to a higher state of disorder or entropy in the universe.

For instance, when a machine operates, it might convert electrical energy into mechanical energy, but in the process, it also generates heat, which often spreads out into the environment, raising its entropy. This law also tells us why perpetual motion machines are impossible; they would require 100% energy conversion efficiency, which conflicts with the second law.

Energy conversion is the process of changing one form of energy into another. In the context of entropy, during these conversions, energy often shifts from a more concentrated and useful form to a more dispersed and less available one.

Take for example a car engine. It converts the chemical energy stored in fuel into kinetic energy that propels the vehicle, but also into sound and heat energy, which are less ordered forms. While energy is conserved in quantity, its quality in terms of the ability to perform work decreases, leading to an increase in the overall entropy of the system.

Kinetic energy is the energy an object possesses due to its motion. This form of energy is directly observable as movement in objects—ranging from the macroscopic movement of vehicles to the microscopic jostling of atoms and molecules.

When an individual speaks, the kinetic energy is evident in the vibration of the vocal cords. This movement then translates into the movement of air molecules as sound waves, demonstrating the transfer of kinetic energy through various mediums. However, since not all the kinetic energy from the vocal cords is converted into sound (some is lost as heat due to friction), the entropy of the system increases.

Heat energy, also known as thermal energy, is the manifestation of energy in the form of heat. It arises from the random motions and vibrations of particles, such as atoms and molecules, within an object.

The natural flow of heat energy is from warmer to cooler objects, or from a system to its surroundings, until thermal equilibrium is reached. This dispersal of heat is a classic example of increasing entropy, as the energy becomes more spread out and reduces in our ability to harness it to do work.

Chemical energy is stored in the bonds between atoms that make up molecules. It is a form of potential energy that is released or absorbed during chemical reactions. For example, when a person eats food, their body metabolizes the food’s chemical energy, converting it into kinetic energy for movement, heat energy to maintain body temperature, and electrical energy for nerve conduction.

These conversions are not without a cost in entropy, as some of the original energy becomes less ordered and less available to do work, essentially increasing the universe's entropy.

Sound waves are the propagation of kinetic energy through a medium like air or water in the form of longitudinal waves. These waves result from vibrations, which can originate from a range of sources—such as a person's vocal cords during speech.

As sound travels, it causes air molecules to oscillate back and forth, but not all of its energy continues in the direction of the wave's propagation. Some of it is randomly scattered as it interacts with different materials and obstacles, leading to an increase in entropy as the sound energy spreads out and becomes less concentrated.

Random motions refer to the unpredictable movement of particles within a particular environment. These motions are an intrinsic aspect of temperature and are closely related to heat energy.

In the context of speaking, the act of producing sound waves also generates varied and random motions of air particles due to alternate compression and rarefaction of the air. This randomness is emblematic of an increase in entropy because the structured form of energy (sound) dissipates into the environment as a less structured, more random form.