How does life violate the 2nd law of thermodynamics?

In summary, the 2nd law of thermodynamics states that entropy increases with every energy transformation. While life may appear to violate this law by becoming more orderly and complex, the increased reactions actually lead to more entropy in the surroundings. Therefore, life does not actually violate the 2nd law but rather causes changes in the surroundings to compensate for the apparent "local violation."
  • #1
impofmisery
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Homework Statement


How does life violate the 2nd law of thermodynamics?


Homework Equations


The 2nd law states that with ever energy transformation entropy increases.


The Attempt at a Solution


I am not sure where to begin with this. All I can think of is as we evolve our system becomes more orderly and complex and we carry out more reactions. but still the more reactions we do the more entropy is created in our surroundings and it becomes more disorderly...
 
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  • #2


Life doesn't violate 2nd law, as you have correctly pointed out changes happen in our surroundings to compensate for the "local violation".
 
  • #3


it is important to understand and accurately explain the concept of the 2nd law of thermodynamics. The 2nd law states that in a closed system, the entropy (or disorder) of the system will always increase over time. This means that energy will naturally flow from more concentrated forms to less concentrated forms, resulting in an overall increase in entropy.

Now, when it comes to life, it may seem like living organisms are violating this law since they are able to maintain a high level of organization and complexity. However, this is not the case. Life does not violate the 2nd law of thermodynamics, but rather, it uses energy and resources from its surroundings to maintain its organization and complexity.

Living organisms are constantly taking in energy and nutrients from their environment and using it to sustain their biological processes. This energy is then released back into the environment in the form of heat and waste products, increasing the overall entropy of the system. Therefore, while living organisms may appear to be violating the 2nd law, they are actually following it by increasing the overall entropy of the universe.

In summary, life does not violate the 2nd law of thermodynamics, but rather, it is a fundamental part of it. Living organisms use energy to maintain their organization and complexity, but in doing so, they also contribute to the overall increase in entropy in the universe.
 

1. How does life create order and complexity, which seems to go against the 2nd law of thermodynamics?

The 2nd law of thermodynamics states that the entropy, or disorder, of a closed system will always increase over time. This means that things tend to become more random and disorganized over time. However, living organisms are able to create and maintain complex structures and processes, which seems to defy this law.

2. Is the 2nd law of thermodynamics being violated by living organisms?

No, the 2nd law of thermodynamics is still applicable to living organisms. However, living systems are able to decrease their own entropy by using energy from their surroundings and converting it into useful work. In other words, they are able to create order and complexity within themselves, but the overall entropy of the universe still increases.

3. What are some examples of how living organisms decrease entropy?

One example is photosynthesis, where plants use energy from the sun to create complex molecules such as glucose. Another example is the process of metabolism, where living organisms break down and convert molecules into energy for their own use.

4. How does the 2nd law of thermodynamics apply to non-living systems?

The 2nd law of thermodynamics applies to all systems, both living and non-living. It is a fundamental law of nature that governs the behavior of energy. In non-living systems, the law can be seen through processes such as heat transfer, chemical reactions, and diffusion.

5. Can life exist in a completely isolated system?

No, life cannot exist in a completely isolated system as it would not have access to any external sources of energy. The ability of living organisms to decrease their own entropy relies on the input of external energy, which is not possible in a closed system.

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