Outlines of a Verbal Account of the Thermodynamic Entropy for a Pedagogical Approach

2017 ◽  
pp. 158-189
Author(s):  
Alberto Gianinetti
Keyword(s):  
Second Law Of Thermodynamics ◽  
Second Law ◽  
Pedagogical Approach ◽  
Thermodynamic Entropy ◽  
Probable State ◽  
Universal Law

Starting from the observation of spontaneous phenomena, it can be envisioned that, with time, every isolated system tends to settle into the most equilibrated, stable, and inert condition. In the very long term, this is the most probable state of a system. This can be shown to be a universal law, the second law of thermodynamics, defined as “the tendency to the most probable state”. Thereafter, it is intuitive that “a function that measures the equilibration, stability, and inertness of a system” is maximized by the second law. This function is called entropy.

scholarly journals Entropy Balance in the Expanding Universe: A Novel Perspective

Entropy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 406
Author(s):  
Arturo Tozzi ◽  
James F. Peters
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Second Law Of Thermodynamics ◽  
Quantum Systems ◽  
Second Law ◽  
Quantum Vacuum ◽  
Expanding Universe ◽  
Cosmic Expansion ◽  
Thermodynamic Entropy ◽  
Local Observer ◽  
Relational Mechanism

We describe cosmic expansion as correlated with the standpoints of local observers’ co-moving horizons. In keeping with relational quantum mechanics, which claims that quantum systems are only meaningful in the context of measurements, we suggest that information gets ergodically “diluted” in our isotropic and homogeneous expanding Universe, so that an observer detects just a limited amount of the total cosmic bits. The reduced bit perception is due the decreased density of information inside the expanding cosmic volume in which the observer resides. Further, we show that the second law of thermodynamics can be correlated with cosmic expansion through a relational mechanism, because the decrease in information detected by a local observer in an expanding Universe is concomitant with an increase in perceived cosmic thermodynamic entropy, via the Bekenstein bound and the Laudauer principle. Reversing the classical scheme from thermodynamic entropy to information, we suggest that the cosmological constant of the quantum vacuum, which is believed to provoke the current cosmic expansion, could be one of the sources of the perceived increases in thermodynamic entropy. We conclude that entropies, including the entangled entropy of the recently developed framework of quantum computational spacetime, might not describe independent properties, but rather relations among systems and observers.

Entropy Increase as Tendency: Drive and Effector

2017 ◽  
pp. 93-96
Author(s):  
Alberto Gianinetti
Keyword(s):  
Particle Motion ◽  
Second Law Of Thermodynamics ◽  
Second Law ◽  
Entropy Increase ◽  
Probable State ◽  
Definition Of

A useful definition of entropy is “a function of the system equilibration, stability, and inertness”, and the tendency to an overall increase of entropy, which is set forth by the second law of thermodynamics, should be meant as “the tendency to the most probable state”, that is, to a state having the highest equilibration, stability, and inertness that the system can reach. The tendency to entropy increase is driven by the probabilistic distributions of matter and energy and it is actualized by particle motion.

The Second Law of Thermodynamics and Heat Release to the Global Environment by Human Activities

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kau-Fui Vincent Wong
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Heat Release ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Second Law Of Thermodynamics ◽  
Global Environment ◽  
Current Work ◽  
Second Law ◽  
Thermodynamic Entropy ◽  
Laws Of Thermodynamics

It is the postulate of the current work that all human activities do add heat to the global environment. The basis used is the concept of thermodynamic entropy and the second law of thermodynamics. It has been discussed and shown that human activities do release heat to the global environment. There is no claim and not the objective in the current work to make any statement about climate change or global warming. It is suggested that all significant human-related activities have been included in the discussion, and hence the proof and deduction. The approach used is in accordance with the manner in which the laws of thermodynamics were derived, which is empirical.

scholarly journals A Pedagogical Approach to Obtain the Combined First and Second Law of Thermodynamics from Classical Statistical Mechanics

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ananth Govind Rajan
Keyword(s):  
Kinetic Energy ◽  
Statistical Mechanics ◽  
General System ◽  
Second Law Of Thermodynamics ◽  
Average Kinetic Energy ◽  
Second Law ◽  
Pedagogical Approach ◽  
Classical Statistical Mechanics ◽  
System Pressure ◽  
Many Body Interactions

The combined first and second law of thermodynamics for a closed system is written as dE=TdS - PdV, where E is the internal energy, S is the entropy, V is the volume, T is the temperature, and P is the pressure of the system. This equation forms the basis for understanding physical phenomena ranging from heat engines to chemical reactors to biological systems. In this work, we present a pedagogical approach to obtain the combined first and second law of thermodynamics beginning with the principles of classical statistical mechanics, thereby establishing a fundamental link between energy conservation, heat, work, and entropy. We start with Boltzmann's entropy formula and use differential calculus to establish this link. Some new aspects of this work include the use of the microcanonical ensemble, which is typically considered to be intractable, to write the partition function for a general system of matter; deriving the average of the inverse kinetic energy, which appears in the microcanonical formulation of the combined first and second law, and showing that it is equal to the inverse of the average kinetic energy; obtaining an expression for the pressure of a system involving many-body interactions; and introducing the system pressure in the combined first and second law via Clausius's virial theorem. Overall, this work informs the derivation of fundamental thermodynamic relations from an understanding of classical statistical mechanics. The material presented herein could be incorporated into senior undergraduate/graduate-level courses in statistical thermodynamics and/or molecular simulations.

ENTROPY OF A HARMONIC OSCILLATOR IN CONTACT WITH A SQUEEZED RESERVOIR

1991 ◽  
Vol 05 (03) ◽  
pp. 545-562 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROBERT R. TUCCI
Keyword(s):  
Harmonic Oscillator ◽  
Second Law Of Thermodynamics ◽  
Second Law ◽  
Duhem Equation ◽  
First Law Of Thermodynamics ◽  
Random Energy ◽  
Thermodynamic Entropy ◽  
Two Temperatures ◽  
Minimum Uncertainty ◽  
Derivatives Of

We consider a harmonic oscillator (h.o.) in contact with a non-minimum uncertainty squeezed reservoir (but isolated from contact with other non-squeezed reservoirs). We calculate the h.o.’s density matrix and thermodynamic entropy. We interpret the derivatives of the entropy in terms of two temperatures, one for each quadrature of the reservoir. A change in the total (random) energy of the h.o. is shown to equal the sum of changes in the energies of each h.o. quadrature separately (a version of the First Law of thermodynamics). A change in the total entropy of the h.o. system is likewise shown to equal the sum of changes in the entropies of each h.o. quadrature separately (Second Law of thermodynamics). We also present equations that correspond to the so called “Fundamemental equation” and “Gibbs-Duhem equation” for the h.o system under consideration.

scholarly journals The physical character of information

2009 ◽  
Vol 465 (2107) ◽  
pp. 2155-2175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahesh Karnani ◽  
Kimmo Pääkkönen ◽  
Arto Annila
Keyword(s):  
Communication System ◽  
Second Law Of Thermodynamics ◽  
Integrable Equation ◽  
Irreversible Processes ◽  
Channel Noise ◽  
Second Law ◽  
Level Energy ◽  
Thermodynamic Entropy ◽  
Receiver System ◽  
Physical Representation

The mathematical theory of communication defines information in syntax without reference to its physical representation and semantic significance. However, in an everyday context, information is tied to its representation and its content is valued. The dichotomy between the formal definition and the practical perception of information is examined by the second law of thermodynamics that was recently formulated as an equation of motion. Thermodynamic entropy shows that the physical representation of information is not inconsequential in generation, transmission and processing of information. According to the principle of increasing entropy, communication by dissipative transformations is a natural process among many other evolutionary phenomena that level energy-density differences between components of a communication system and its surroundings. In addition, information-guided processes direct down along descents on free energy landscapes. The non-integrable equation for irreversible processes reveals that there is no universal analytical algorithm to match source to channel. Noise infiltration is also regarded by the second law as an inevitable consequence of energy transduction between a communication system and its surroundings. Communication is invariably associated with misunderstanding because mechanisms and means of information processing at the receiver differ from those at the sender. The significance of information is ascribed to the increase in thermodynamic entropy in the receiver system that results from execution of the received message.

scholarly journals Local Observers in an Expanding Universe: Is the Cosmological Constant Correlated with Thermodynamic Entropy?

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arturo Tozzi
Keyword(s):  
Cosmological Constant ◽  
Second Law Of Thermodynamics ◽  
Lower Number ◽  
Second Law ◽  
Quantum Vacuum ◽  
Expanding Universe ◽  
Cosmic Expansion ◽  
Thermodynamic Entropy ◽  
Local Observer ◽  
The Universe

We describe cosmic expansion from the standpoint of an observer’s comoving horizon.  When the Universe is small, the observer detects a large amount of the total cosmic bits, which number is fixed.  Indeed, information, such as energy, cannot be created or destroyed in our Universe, i.e., the total number of cosmic bits must be kept constant, despite the black hole paradox.  When the Universe expands, the information gets ergodically “diluted” in our isotopic and homogeneous Cosmos.  This means that the observer can perceive just a lower number of the total bits, due the decreased density of information in the cosmic volume (or its surrounding surface, according to the holographic principle) in which she is trapped by speed light’s constraints.  Here we ask: how does the second law of thermodynamics enter in this framework?  Could it be correlated with cosmic expansion?  The correlation is at least partially feasible, because the decrease in the information detected by a local observer in an expanding Universe leads to an increase in detected cosmic thermodynamic entropy, via the Bekenstein bound and the Laudauer principle.  Reversing the classical scheme from thermodynamic entropy to information entropy, we suggest that the quantum vacuum’s cosmological constant, that causes cosmic expansion, could be one of the sources of the increases in thermodynamic entropy detected by local observers.

scholarly journals The Second Law and Entropy Misconceptions Demystified

Entropy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 648
Author(s):  
Milivoje M. Kostic
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Physics ◽  
Open Systems ◽  
Second Law Of Thermodynamics ◽  
Second Law ◽  
Mass Energy ◽  
Energy Potential ◽  
Ordered Structures ◽  
Thermodynamic Entropy ◽  
Thermal Disorder ◽  
Non Equilibrium

The challenges and claims of hypothetical violations of the Second Law of thermodynamics have been a topic of many scientific, philosophical and social publications, even in the most prestigious scientific journals. Fascination with challenging the Second Law has further accelerated throughout the development of statistical and quantum physics, and information theory. It is phenomenologically reasoned here that non-equilibrium, useful work-energy potential is always dissipated to heat, and thus thermodynamic entropy (a measure of thermal disorder, not any other disorder) is generated always and everywhere, at any scale without exception, including life processes, open systems, micro-fluctuations, gravity or entanglement. Furthermore, entropy cannot be destroyed by any means at any scale (entropy is conserved in ideal, reversible processes and irreversibly generated in real processes), and thus, entropy cannot overall decrease, but only overall increase. Creation of ordered structures or live species always dissipate useful energy and generate entropy, without exception, and thus without Second Law violation. Entropy destruction would imply spontaneous increase in non-equilibrium, with mass-energy flux displacement against cause-and-effect, natural forces, as well as negate the reversible existence of the very equilibrium. In fact, all resolved challengers’ paradoxes and misleading violations of the Second Law to date have been resolved in favor of the Second Law and never against. We are still to witness a single, still open Second Law violation, to be confirmed.

Irreversible (rational) thermodynamics of fluid-solid mixtures

1985 ◽  
Vol 50 (11) ◽  
pp. 2346-2363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Samohýl ◽  
X. Quang Nguyen ◽  
Milan Šípek
Keyword(s):  
Constitutive Equations ◽  
Second Law Of Thermodynamics ◽  
Second Law ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Term Memory ◽  
Isotropic Solid ◽  
Action Memory ◽  
Nonlinear Continuum ◽  
Constitutive Principles

Reversible and irreversible (transport) phenomena in fluid-solid mixtures were analysed by the method of rational thermodynamics (nonlinear continuum mechanics). After formulating the balances and the second law of thermodynamics, constitutive equations for the binary mixture were proposed involving diffusion, heat conduction, and long-term memory characterized by an internal parameter. Viscosity and chemical reactions were disregarded. The final form of the constitutive equations is based on the constitutive principles of determinism, local action, memory, equipresence, objectivity, and on the entropic principle of Coleman and Noll. The cases of an isotropic solid and a mixture of fluids are also discussed.

An Account of Thermodynamic Entropy

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Gianinetti
Keyword(s):  
Second Law Of Thermodynamics ◽  
Physical World ◽  
Second Law ◽  
Chemical Thermodynamics ◽  
Chemistry Students ◽  
Thermodynamic Entropy

The second law of thermodynamics is an example of the fundamental laws that govern our universe and is relevant to every branch of science exploring the physical world. This reference summarizes knowledge and concepts about the second law of thermodynamics and entropy. A verbatim explanation of chemical thermodynamics is presented by the author, making this text easy to understand for chemistry students, researchers, non-experts, and educators.

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