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Chapter 12: Problem 79

The natural tendency for systems is to decrease in energy. What is the natural tendency for entropy?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The natural tendency for entropy, according to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, is to increase. This means that natural processes prefer to move towards a state of higher entropy or disorder, making the system more random and less ordered.

Step by step solution

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1. Definition of Entropy

Entropy, represented by the symbol \(S\), is a thermodynamic property that measures the disorder or randomness of a system. It helps in determining the feasibility of a process and the direction in which natural processes prefer to occur. In thermodynamics, the second law of thermodynamics states that the total entropy of an isolated system can only increase over time.
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2. Understanding the Second Law of Thermodynamics

The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that in any natural process, the total entropy (\(S_{total}\)) of an isolated system either increases or remains constant, but it never decreases. Mathematically, this can be represented as: \[\Delta S_{total} \geq 0\] where \(\Delta S_{total}\) is the change in the total entropy of the system. This law implies that natural processes have a tendency to increase entropy or, in other words, increase the disorder or randomness in a system.
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3. Examples of entropy increase

Here are a couple of examples to illustrate the increase of entropy in natural processes: Example 1: Melting of ice When ice melts, it transforms from a more ordered solid structure to a less ordered liquid structure. This change in phase increases the entropy or the disorder of the system. Example 2: Mixing of two gases When two different gases are mixed in a container, they tend to spread out and occupy the whole available space, forming a homogeneous mixture. This process increases the randomness or the entropy of the system.
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4. Conclusion: Natural Tendency for Entropy

In conclusion, the natural tendency for entropy is to increase, according to the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Natural processes prefer to move towards a state of higher entropy or disorder, thereby making the system more random and less ordered.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

If the dissolution of a particular solute in water is endothermic, what must be true about (a) \(\Delta E_{\text {total }}\) and (b) the change in entropy for the system as a result of the dissolution?

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