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2 - Entropy and Second Law

from Part I - Foundations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 December 2018

Jean-Philippe Ansermet
Affiliation:
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Sylvain D. Brechet
Affiliation:
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
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Summary

Thanks to the second law, entropy is the concept by wich the arrow of time can be expressed. Irreversibility is defined as internal production of heat. Work by compression of a gas is analysed for both reversible and irreversible processes, making obvious the difference between the internal pressure, which is the conjugate of the volume, and the external pressure associated with the force exerted on a piston. Chemical potentials are defined as the conjugate of the number of moles of substances contained in the system. Chemical reactions are readily seen as source of entropy production. Simple systems are defined, playing a role analogous to point masses in mechanics. Evolution of simple systems is worked out when they are subjected to heat and mechanical action.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

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