Entropy change of an irreversible process

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the concept of entropy change in irreversible processes as described in classical thermodynamics. It is established that while the entropy of a system may return to its original state, the total entropy change, which includes the surroundings, increases during irreversible processes. This is due to the fact that irreversible processes generate entropy in the environment, contrasting with reversible processes where the surroundings' entropy remains unchanged. The key takeaway is that the total entropy change accounts for both the system and its surroundings, leading to an overall increase in entropy in irreversible processes.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of classical thermodynamics principles
  • Familiarity with the concept of state functions
  • Knowledge of reversible and irreversible processes
  • Basic grasp of entropy and its implications in thermodynamic systems
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the Second Law of Thermodynamics in detail
  • Learn about the mathematical formulation of entropy changes in irreversible processes
  • Explore examples of reversible vs. irreversible processes in thermodynamic cycles
  • Investigate the role of entropy in real-world applications, such as heat engines
USEFUL FOR

Students and professionals in physics, engineering, and chemistry, particularly those focusing on thermodynamics and energy systems, will benefit from this discussion.

flasherffff
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i can't seem to get something in classical thermodynamics
entropy is a state function of a system,that means it only depends on the state of a system not time or path.
if i have an irreversible process between state 1 and state 2, and back to state 1, and i want to know the entropy change of the system after this cycle.
how can the entropy increase if I am back to the same state which means the same entropy with zero change

my book says the entropy change of an irreversible process is greater then that of a reversible process
but how?
 
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Its the total entropy change (environment and system) that its accounting for. When the system goes back to its original state in an irreversible process, the environment records the process.
 
flasherffff said:
i can't seem to get something in classical thermodynamics
entropy is a state function of a system,that means it only depends on the state of a system not time or path.
if i have an irreversible process between state 1 and state 2, and back to state 1, and i want to know the entropy change of the system after this cycle.
how can the entropy increase if I am back to the same state which means the same entropy with zero change

my book says the entropy change of an irreversible process is greater then that of a reversible process
but how?
The system returns to its original state but the surroundings do not. There is no change in entropy of the system. But the entropy of the surroundings increases if the process between those two states was not reversible.

If the process was reversible, the entropy of the surroundings remains unchanged even though they end up in a different thermodynamic state.

AM
 

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