Is Entropy Defined by the Gibbs Entropy Formula Extensive?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tsar_183
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Entropy
Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
1 reply · 6K views
Tsar_183
Messages
6
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



Show explicitly that Entropy as defined by the Gibbs Entropy Formula is extensive. That is, for two independent (noninteracting) systems A and B,

S(A,B) = S(A) + S(B)

where S(A,B) is the entropy of A and B considered as part of a larger system.

Homework Equations



S = -k [itex]\sum[/itex] pi ln(pi)

The Attempt at a Solution



I honestly have no idea where to start! I tried letting pi = 1/Ω, to obtain,

S = k [itex]\sum[/itex] (1/Ω)ln(Ω), and then tried summing S(A) and S(B) together to obtain S(A,B), but it didn't work out. I also tried just summing up S(A) and S(B) without writing in terms of Ω...didn't work either. I then tried,

S = -k [itex]\sum[/itex] pi ln(pi) ==>
S = k [itex]\sum[/itex] (1/Ω) ln(Ω) ==>
S = k (1/Ω) ln(Ω)[itex]\sum[/itex] 1, [itex]\sum[/itex] 1 = Ω
S = k (1/Ω) ln(Ω)Ω
S = k ln(Ω)
and then I summed up S(A) and S(B) which WORKED,
S(A,B) = k ln(Ω(A))+k ln(Ω(B)) = k ln(Ω(A)Ω(B)) = k ln (Ω(A,B)), but I don't think this argument works. Plus the prof derived the Gibbs Entropy Formula from k ln Ω... so I don't think I'm even on the right track! Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
Tsar_183 said:
S(A,B) = k ln(Ω(A))+k ln(Ω(B)) = k ln(Ω(A)Ω(B)) = k ln (Ω(A,B)), but I don't think this argument works.
This looks fine to me. The number of microstates for two noninteracting systems Ω(A,B) is the product of the number of microstates for each system individually Ω(A)Ω(B).