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Related Concept Videos

Entropy01:18

Entropy

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The first law of thermodynamics is quantitatively formulated via an equation relating the internal energy of a system, the heat exchanged by it, and the work done on it. A quantitative formulation of the second law of thermodynamics leads to defining a state function, the entropy.
When an ideal gas expands isothermally, the disorder in the gas increases. From the molecular perspective, the gas molecules have more volume to move around in.
Consider an infinitesimal step in the expansion, which...
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Gibbs Free Energy02:39

Gibbs Free Energy

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One of the challenges of using the second law of thermodynamics to determine if a process is spontaneous is that it requires measurements of the entropy change for the system and the entropy change for the surroundings. An alternative approach involving a new thermodynamic property defined in terms of system properties only was introduced in the late nineteenth century by American mathematician Josiah Willard Gibbs. This new property is called the Gibbs free energy (G) (or simply the free...
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Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics01:20

Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

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The second law of thermodynamics can be stated quantitatively using the concept of entropy. Entropy is the measure of disorder of the system.
The relation  between entropy and disorder can be illustrated with the example of the phase change of ice to water. In ice, the molecules are located at specific sites giving a solid state, whereas, in a liquid form, these molecules are much freer to move. The molecular arrangement has therefore become more randomized. Although the change in average...
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Gibbs Free Energy and Thermodynamic Favorability02:23

Gibbs Free Energy and Thermodynamic Favorability

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The spontaneity of a process depends upon the temperature of the system. Phase transitions, for example, will proceed spontaneously in one direction or the other depending upon the temperature of the substance in question. Likewise, some chemical reactions can also exhibit temperature-dependent spontaneities. To illustrate this concept, the equation relating free energy change to the enthalpy and entropy changes for the process is considered:
6.9K
The Second Law of Thermodynamics01:14

The Second Law of Thermodynamics

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In the quest to identify a property that may reliably predict the spontaneity of a process, a promising candidate has been identified: entropy. Scientists refer to the measure of randomness or disorder within a system as entropy. High entropy means high disorder and low energy. To better understand entropy, think of a student’s bedroom. If no energy or work were put into it, the room would quickly become messy. It would exist in a very disordered state, one of high entropy. Energy must be...
5.4K
Entropy Change in Reversible Processes01:10

Entropy Change in Reversible Processes

2.6K
In the Carnot engine, which achieves the maximum efficiency between two reservoirs of fixed temperatures, the total change in entropy is zero. The observation can be generalized by considering any reversible cyclic process consisting of many Carnot cycles. Thus, it can be stated that the total entropy change of any ideal reversible cycle is zero.
The statement can be further generalized to prove that entropy is a state function. Take a cyclic process between any two points on a p-V diagram.
2.6K

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Differential Scanning Calorimetry — A Method for Assessing the Thermal Stability and Conformation of Protein Antigen
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Entropy defect in thermodynamics.

George Livadiotis1, David J McComas2

  • 1Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08540, USA. glivadiotis@princeton.edu.

Scientific Reports
|June 3, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The newly discovered "entropy defect" quantifies order induced by assembling subsystems, analogous to mass defect. This concept generalizes thermodynamics beyond classical equilibrium for stationary and nonstationary states.

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Unraveling Entropic Rate Acceleration Induced by Solvent Dynamics in Membrane Enzymes
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Area of Science:

  • Thermodynamics
  • Statistical Mechanics
  • Physical Chemistry

Background:

  • Classical thermodynamics relies on Boltzmann-Gibbs entropy and Maxwell-Boltzmann distributions.
  • Systems out of thermal equilibrium present challenges for traditional thermodynamic frameworks.
  • Understanding entropy changes during subsystem assembly is crucial for complex systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Introduce and define the

Main Methods:

  • Developed a theoretical framework for the entropy defect based on constituent entropy properties (separability, symmetry, boundedness).
  • Applied the entropy defect concept to generalize thermodynamics for stationary and nonstationary states.
  • Derived kappa distributions as a generalization of canonical distributions for systems out of equilibrium.

Main Results:

  • Quantified the entropy defect, analogous to mass defect, arising from correlations in assembled subsystems.
  • Demonstrated that the entropy defect provides a foundation for generalizing thermodynamics beyond classical equilibrium.
  • Showed the entropy defect acts as a negative feedback mechanism in nonstationary states, preventing unbounded entropy growth.

Conclusions:

  • The entropy defect is a fundamental thermodynamic concept with broad applicability.
  • Generalizes classical thermodynamics to systems out of equilibrium, including stationary and nonstationary states.
  • Provides a new perspective on entropy dynamics and system stability.