All Flashcards
What is entropy?
A measure of the disorder or randomness in a system, or how much energy is spread out.
Define the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
The total entropy of an isolated system can never decrease; it can only increase or remain constant in ideal, reversible processes.
What is a state function?
A property of a system that depends only on the current state of the system, not on how it reached that state.
What is a closed system?
A system where energy can be exchanged with the surroundings, but matter cannot enter or leave.
What is an open system?
A system where both energy and matter can be exchanged with the surroundings.
What is thermodynamic equilibrium?
The state of a system where entropy is maximized and there is no net change in energy or matter.
What is the difference between entropy changes in open and closed systems?
Closed systems: Entropy always increases over time. Open systems: Entropy can decrease locally, but the total entropy of the universe still increases.
Compare and contrast reversible and irreversible processes in terms of entropy.
Reversible processes (ideal): Entropy remains constant. Irreversible processes (real): Entropy always increases.
What is the effect of energy spreading out in a system?
An increase in entropy.
What happens to the entropy of a gas as it cools in a closed container?
The entropy of the gas decreases, but the entropy of the surroundings increases by a greater amount, so the total entropy of the universe increases.
What is the effect of the Second Law of Thermodynamics on the universe?
The total entropy of the universe is always increasing.