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Topic: Entropy of system  (Read 2074 times)

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Offline Viktor2

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Entropy of system
« on: October 27, 2014, 11:33:01 PM »
Entropy as we know is the degree of disorder or randomness which we see changing even in case of a system where ΔH is zero e.g., in case of mixing of two gases.
When we define it mathematically we say dS = δqrev /T

My first question is how can we explain both together. As in the first case we see the entropy changing even in case of δq = 0 but the second part says if δq is zero dS = 0.

My second question is that is it compulsory for an adiabatic process to be reversible to say it isentropic. As we see that being adiabatic only makes δq = 0.

Offline Corribus

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Re: Entropy of system
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2014, 12:01:30 AM »
When we define it mathematically we say dS = δqrev /T
The full Clausius expression is actually an inequality, not an equation. It should be

dS ≥ dq/T

The equality only applies for a reversible process (which you note in your equation, but forgot about apparently ;) ). A free expansion of an ideal gas, for example, is not a reversible process, hence the equality does not apply.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_expansion

So here even if the heat exchange is zero, the entropy change can still be (and is) positive.
What men are poets who can speak of Jupiter if he were like a man, but if he is an immense spinning sphere of methane and ammonia must be silent?  - Richard P. Feynman

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