Entropy change of a bullet hitting water

AI Thread Summary
To calculate the change in entropy when a lead bullet hits water, the bullet's kinetic energy of 1250 J is converted into thermal energy. The bullet, initially at 150 degrees Celsius, comes to thermal equilibrium with the water at 25 degrees Celsius. The total thermal energy is absorbed by the water, raising its temperature, while the bullet cools down to match the water's temperature. Since entropy is a state function, the intermediate temperatures do not need to be considered for the calculation. Understanding that the system reaches equilibrium is crucial for determining the entropy change.
KaiserBrandon
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Homework Statement


Calculate the change in entropy when a lead bullet of mass 10 grams traveling at 500 m/s hits a very large volume of water. Assume that the bullet was initially at 150 degrees Celsius and the water was at 25 degrees Celsius.


Homework Equations


K=\frac{1}{2}\,{{\it mv}}^{2}
\Delta S={\frac {\delta Q}{T}}

The Attempt at a Solution


So I calculated the kinetic energy of the bullet to be 1250J. If the bullet is stopped by the water, that 1250J becomes thermal energy. Now this is where I'm stuck. I'm not exactly sure how to determine how much of that thermal energy is absorbed by the bullet, and how much by the water.
 
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KaiserBrandon said:
I'm not exactly sure how to determine how much of that thermal energy is absorbed by the bullet, and how much by the water.

In the end, it's all absorbed by the water, and the bullet also ends up at 25 degrees C. And since entropy is a state function, you don't need to worry about intermediate temperatures. Does this help?
 
ok, I wasn't sure if the system was allowed to reach equilibrium or not.
 
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