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Chapter 15: 14Q (page 412)

Question:Suppose a lot of papers are strewn all over the floor; then you stack them neatly. Does this violate the second law of thermodynamics? Explain.

Short Answer

Expert verified

It doesn’t violate the second law of thermodynamics.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the second law of thermodynamics 

According to the second law of thermodynamics, a particular system’s net entropy rises or remains steady in any natural thermodynamic process.

02

Explaining whether collecting a lot of papers strewn all over the floor violate the second law of thermodynamics 

When many papers strewn all over the floor are collected and stacked neatly, some outside source is used to improve the order of the papers. In this case, energy is provided in completing the process, and in doing so, the person’s entropy becomes more than the entropy of the papers.

Hence, the increase in overall entropy satisfies the second law of thermodynamics.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Question: (II) Consider the following two-step process. Heat is allowed to flow out of an ideal gas at constant volume so that its pressure drops from 2.2 atm to 1.4 atm. Then the gas expands at constant pressure, from a volume of 5.9 L to 9.3 L, where the temperature reaches its original value. See Fig.15–22. Calculate (a) the total work done by the gas in the process, (b) the change in internal energy of the gas in the process, and (c) the total heat flow into or out of the gas.

Question: (II) In an engine, an almost ideal gas is compressed adiabatically to half its volume. In doing so, 2630 J of work is done on the gas. (a) How much heat flows into or out of the gas? (b) What is the change in internal energy of the gas? (c) Does its temperature rise or fall?

Question: (II) What is the temperature inside an ideal refrigerator-freezer that operates with a COP = 7.0 in a 22°C room?

(II) Water is stored in an artificial lake created by a dam (Fig. 15–27). The water depth is 48 m at the dam, and a steady flow rate of\({\bf{32}}\;{{\bf{m}}{\bf{3}}}{\bf{/s}}\)is maintained through hydroelectric turbines installed near the base of the dam. How much electrical power can be produced?

FIGURE 15-27 Problem 55

(III) A real heat engine working between heat reservoirs at 970 K and 650 K produces 550 J of work per cycle for a heat input of 2500 J.

(a) Compare the efficiency of this real engine to that of an ideal (Carnot) engine.

(b) Calculate the total entropy change of the universe per cycle of the real engine, and

(c) also if the engine is ideal (Carnot).
See all solutions

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