Find change in entropy for a system with a series of reservoirs

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on calculating the change in entropy for a system interacting with a series of reservoirs. The user has successfully calculated the entropy change for the material but is uncertain about the entropy change for the reservoir, which is given in a textbook as a negative value. The user questions how to derive this answer without knowing the heat capacity of the reservoir. It is noted that for an ideal constant-temperature reservoir, the entropy change can be expressed as the heat transfer divided by the reservoir temperature. Understanding these principles is crucial for accurately calculating entropy changes in thermodynamic systems.
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Homework Statement
A material is brought from temperature ##T_i## to temperature##T_f## by placing
it in contact with a series of ##N## reservoirs at temperatures ##T_i + \Delta T##, ##T_i + 2\Delta T##, ..., ##T_i + N \Delta T = T_f##. Assuming that the heat capacity of the material,
C, is temperature independent, calculate the entropy change of the total
system, material plus reservoirs. What is the entropy change in the limit
##N \rightarrow \infty## for fixed ##T_f - T_i##?
Relevant Equations
##dS = \frac{1}{T} Q_{reversibile}##
I've calculated the change in the entropy of material after it comes in contact with the reservoir:

$$\Delta S_1 = C \int_{T_i+t\Delta T}^{T_i+(t+1)\Delta T} \frac{dT}{T} = C \ln{\frac{T_i+(t+1)\Delta T}{T_i+t\Delta T}}$$

Now I would like to calculate the change in the entropy of the reservoir. The answer in the book is:

$$\Delta S_2 = -\frac{C\Delta T}{T_i + (t+1)\Delta T}$$
And I don't know where this answer comes from. How am I supposed to find the change in entropy if I don't know what is the heat capacity of the reservoir?
 
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For an ideal constant-temperature reservoir, the change in entropy is always $$\Delta S=\frac{Q}{T_R}$$ where ##T_R## is the reservoir temperature.
 
Chestermiller said:
For an ideal constant-temperature reservoir, the change in entropy is always $$\Delta S=\frac{Q}{T_R}$$ where ##T_R## is the reservoir temperature.

Thank you! I didn't know that.
 
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