Entropy Change
Definition
Entropy change refers to the measure of disorder or randomness in a system. It's the difference in entropy (disorder) between the final and initial states in a process.
Analogy
Imagine you have a box of Legos. When all the pieces are sorted by color, it's highly ordered - low entropy. But if you shake that box and open it again, you'll find the Legos mixed up - high entropy. The act of shaking is like an energy input causing an entropy change.
Related terms
Isolated System: A system that does not exchange matter or energy with its surroundings.
Second Law of Thermodynamics: This law states that the total entropy of an isolated system can never decrease over time, and is constant if and only if all processes are reversible.
Gibbs Free Energy: A thermodynamic potential that measures the maximum reversible work that a system can perform at constant temperature and pressure.
"Entropy Change" appears in:
Study guides (2)
Practice Questions (1)
- Which of the following is true about the relationship between the entropy change (ΔS) and the energy released (ΔG) in a coupled reaction?
Resources
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