Gavin Howe
The second law of thermodynamics, which states that the entropy of an isolated system will always increase over time, is a physical law based on universal empirical observation concerning heat and energy interconversions. This means that in a closed system, the entropy, or measure of disorder, will either increase or remain constant—it will never decrease.
The second law applies to organisms in that it governs the chemical processes (metabolism) in all biological organisms. For example, the transfer of energy in biological processes is not 100% efficient. In photosynthesis, some energy is reflected, and some is lost as heat. This loss of energy results in an increase in disorder or entropy.
The second law also dictates that breaking down molecules releases energy, and making new ones requires energy. This is why living systems require a constant energy input to maintain their highly ordered state.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Energy transfer | There will be less energy available at the end of the transfer process than at the beginning |
| Entropy | Always increases in a closed system |
| Entropy | A measure of the randomness of the system |
| Entropy | A measure of energy or chaos within an isolated system |
| Entropy | A quantitative index that describes the quality of energy |
| Entropy | Will either increase or remain constant, it will never decrease |
| Entropy | Is never zero |
| Entropy | Rises with molecular weight and complexity |
| Entropy | Rises with temperature |
| Entropy | Increases as pressure or concentration decreases |
What You'll Learn
- The second law of thermodynamics is a physical law based on universal empirical observation concerning heat and energy interconversions
- The second law establishes the concept of entropy as a physical property of a thermodynamic system
- The second law is concerned with the direction of natural processes
- The second law applies to open systems, such as living organisms
- The second law is a statistical law
The second law of thermodynamics is a physical law based on universal empirical observation concerning heat and energy interconversions
The second law is a statistical law, applying generally to macroscopic systems. It does not, however, preclude small-scale variations in the direction of entropy over time. The Fluctuation theorem, for example, states that as the length of time or the system size increases, the probability of a negative change in entropy (i.e. going against the second law) decreases exponentially.
The second law is also known as the Law of Increased Entropy. It establishes the concept of entropy as a physical property of a thermodynamic system. It predicts whether processes are forbidden, despite obeying the requirement of conservation of energy as expressed in the first law of thermodynamics. The first law allows for a cup falling off a table and breaking, as well as the reverse process of the fragments coming back together and jumping back onto the table. The second law allows the former but denies the latter.
The second law can be applied to living organisms. All biological organisms require energy to survive, and in a closed system, this energy is not consumed but transformed from one form to another. For example, in photosynthesis, light energy is absorbed by plant leaves and converted to chemical energy. The chemical energy is then stored in the form of glucose, which is used to form complex carbohydrates necessary to build plant mass. The energy stored in glucose can also be released through cellular respiration, allowing plant and animal organisms to access the energy stored in carbohydrates, lipids, and other macromolecules.
Living systems require a constant energy input to maintain their highly ordered state. Cells, for example, are highly ordered and have low entropy. However, in the process of maintaining this order, some energy is lost to the surroundings or transformed. So while cells are ordered, the processes performed to maintain that order result in an increase in entropy in the cell's/organism's surroundings.
The second law of thermodynamics can be expressed mathematically as:
> ΔSuniv = ΔSsys + ΔSsurroundings
Where ΔSuniv is the change in the entropy of the universe, and this is always greater than or equal to zero.
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The second law establishes the concept of entropy as a physical property of a thermodynamic system
The second law of thermodynamics establishes the concept of entropy as a physical property of a thermodynamic system. The law states that the entropy of an isolated system, left to spontaneous evolution, will not decrease and will tend towards a state of thermodynamic equilibrium where the entropy is highest. This is because heat always flows from hotter to colder regions of matter, and not all heat can be converted into work in a cyclic process.
Entropy is a measure of the randomness or disorder of a system, or the energy or chaos within an isolated system. It is a quantitative index that describes the quality of energy. In a closed system, the mass remains constant, but there is an exchange of heat with the surroundings, creating disturbances that increase the entropy of the system. Additionally, internal changes in the movements of the molecules of the system can lead to irreversibilities that further increase its entropy.
The second law of thermodynamics applies to both living and non-living systems. In biological systems, the transfer of energy is not 100% efficient, and some energy is always lost to the surroundings as heat, leading to an increase in entropy. Living organisms require constant energy input to maintain their highly ordered state, and the processes performed to maintain this order result in an increase in entropy in the surroundings.
The second law also has implications for the age of the Earth and the theory of evolution. In the 1800s, scientists used the second law to estimate the age of the Earth, although their calculations were inaccurate because they were not aware of radioactivity. The second law also does not contradict the theory of evolution, as it only applies to isolated systems, and the Earth is not an isolated system due to the constant energy input from the sun.
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The second law is concerned with the direction of natural processes
The second law of thermodynamics is concerned with the direction of natural processes. It establishes the concept of entropy as a physical property of a thermodynamic system. Entropy is a measure of the randomness or disorder in a closed system. The second law of thermodynamics states that the entropy of an isolated system will never decrease over time. In other words, the law explains that the direction of natural processes is always towards an increase in entropy or disorder.
The second law asserts that a natural process runs only in one sense and is not reversible. While the state of a natural system can be reversed, it cannot be done without increasing the entropy of the system's surroundings. This means that the total entropy of the system and its surroundings cannot be fully reversed without implying the destruction of entropy. The second law, therefore, puts restrictions on the direction of heat transfer and the achievable efficiencies of heat engines.
The second law is based on universal empirical observation concerning heat and energy interconversions. It states that heat always flows spontaneously from hotter to colder regions of matter. This can be understood through the concept of entropy. For example, when a path for conduction or radiation is made available, heat flows spontaneously from a hotter to a colder body. This phenomenon can be explained in terms of entropy change.
The second law also provides necessary criteria for spontaneous processes. It predicts whether processes are forbidden despite obeying the requirement of conservation of energy as expressed in the first law of thermodynamics. For instance, while the first law allows the process of a cup falling off a table and breaking, as well as the reverse process of the cup fragments coming back together and 'jumping' back, the second law allows the former but denies the latter. The second law may be formulated by the observation that the entropy of isolated systems left to spontaneous evolution cannot decrease, as they always tend towards a state of thermodynamic equilibrium where the entropy is highest at the given internal energy.
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The second law applies to open systems, such as living organisms
The second law of thermodynamics applies to open systems, such as living organisms. This law states that the entropy of the universe, or a closed system, will always increase over time. Entropy is a measure of the randomness or disorder within a system. As time passes, a system will become more disordered.
The second law of thermodynamics is a statistical law, applying generally to macroscopic systems. It does not, however, preclude small-scale variations in the direction of entropy over time. The Fluctuation theorem states that as the length of time or the system size increases, the probability of a negative change in entropy (i.e., a decrease in disorder) decreases exponentially.
Living organisms are open systems, meaning they have inputs and outputs. They require a constant input of energy to maintain their highly ordered state. While cells are ordered, the processes performed to maintain that order result in an increase in entropy in the cell's/organism's surroundings. The transfer of energy causes entropy in the universe to increase.
The second law can be applied to biological processes. For example, in photosynthesis, not all of the light energy is absorbed by the plant. Some energy is reflected, and some is lost as heat. This loss of energy to the surrounding environment results in an increase in disorder or entropy.
The second law also applies to the process of cellular respiration, by which plant and animal organisms can access the energy stored in carbohydrates, lipids, and other macromolecules through the production of ATP. This energy is needed to perform essential cell functions such as DNA replication, mitosis, meiosis, and cell movement.
The second law of thermodynamics, therefore, plays a crucial role in understanding the energy dynamics within living organisms and their surrounding environment.
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The second law is a statistical law
The second law of thermodynamics is a statistical law. It is an axiom, and more of a set of consistent axioms for macroscopic scale. It is a law of probability, and it holds true for statistical reasons.
The second law of thermodynamics is a law of probability, and it is not a law of certainty. It is a statistical law, and it is not a fundamental law of physics. It is a macroscopic law, and it is not a microscopic law. The second law of thermodynamics is a statement about the statistics of combinatorics when large numbers are involved. It is a statement about the most probable macrostate, and it is not a statement about the actual macrostate.
The second law of thermodynamics is a statement about the evolution of systems from simple initial conditions to complex and "apparently random" final conditions. It is a statement about the tendency of things to get more random, and it is not a statement about the tendency of things to get less random. The second law of thermodynamics is a statement about the increase of entropy, and it is not a statement about the decrease of entropy.
The second law of thermodynamics is a statement about the evolution of systems from simple initial conditions to complex and "apparently random" final conditions. It is a statement about the tendency of things to get more complex, and it is not a statement about the tendency of things to get less complex. The second law of thermodynamics is a statement about the increase of complexity, and it is not a statement about the decrease of complexity.
The second law of thermodynamics is a statement about the evolution of systems from simple initial conditions to complex and "apparently random" final conditions. It is a statement about the tendency of things to get more complex, and it is not a statement about the tendency of things to get less complex. The second law of thermodynamics is a statement about the increase of complexity, and it is not a statement about the decrease of complexity.
The second law of thermodynamics is a statement about the evolution of systems from simple initial conditions to complex and "apparently random" final conditions. It is a statement about the tendency of things to get more complex, and it is not a statement about the tendency of things to get less complex. The second law of thermodynamics is a statement about the increase of complexity, and it is not a statement about the decrease of complexity.
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Frequently asked questions
The second law of thermodynamics is a physical law that states that the state of entropy of the entire universe, as an isolated system, will always increase over time. It is also referred to as the Law of Increased Entropy.
The second law of thermodynamics applies to biological systems as it states that when energy is transferred, there will be less energy available at the end of the transfer process than at the beginning. This is due to the loss of energy to the surrounding environment, resulting in an increase in disorder or entropy.
The second law of thermodynamics is significant for living organisms as it highlights the need for constant energy input to maintain their highly ordered state. While cells are highly ordered and have low entropy, the processes performed to maintain this order result in an increase in entropy in the cell's/organism's surroundings.
