Q29CQ Consider a system with a certain... [FREE SOLUTION]

Chapter 15: Q29CQ (page 549)

Consider a system with a certain energy content, from which we wish to extract as much work as possible. Should the system鈥檚 entropy be high or low? Is this orderly or disorderly? Structured or uniform? Explain briefly.

Short Answer

Expert verified

The system鈥檚 entropy is low, and it is orderly and structured.

Step by step solution

Describe how system’s energy and entropy are related

The entropy of a system is the measure of its disorder or randomness and the lack of energy to do work. So, it is the measure of energy that is not available to do work. Since more energy is extracted from the system to do the work in this scenario, the amount of energy unavailable for work is less. Therefore, entropy of system is low.

Describe how a system’s order and structure relates to its entropy

As entropy is the measure of disorder, disorderliness will be low in a system with less entropy. So, the system will be orderly. Since the system is ordered, the particles are well organised in the system. So, you can say that the system is structured. Uniformity is a disordered state. So, this system can鈥檛 be uniform.

So, this system has low entropy because it is orderly and structured.