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.
mcas
Messages
22
Reaction score
5
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?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
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.
 
Thread 'Variable mass system : water sprayed into a moving container'
Starting with the mass considerations #m(t)# is mass of water #M_{c}# mass of container and #M(t)# mass of total system $$M(t) = M_{C} + m(t)$$ $$\Rightarrow \frac{dM(t)}{dt} = \frac{dm(t)}{dt}$$ $$P_i = Mv + u \, dm$$ $$P_f = (M + dm)(v + dv)$$ $$\Delta P = M \, dv + (v - u) \, dm$$ $$F = \frac{dP}{dt} = M \frac{dv}{dt} + (v - u) \frac{dm}{dt}$$ $$F = u \frac{dm}{dt} = \rho A u^2$$ from conservation of momentum , the cannon recoils with the same force which it applies. $$\quad \frac{dm}{dt}...
Thread 'Minimum mass of a block'
Here we know that if block B is going to move up or just be at the verge of moving up ##Mg \sin \theta ## will act downwards and maximum static friction will act downwards ## \mu Mg \cos \theta ## Now what im confused by is how will we know " how quickly" block B reaches its maximum static friction value without any numbers, the suggested solution says that when block A is at its maximum extension, then block B will start to move up but with a certain set of values couldn't block A reach...
Back
Top