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Chapter 19: Problem 10

Why doesn't the evolution of human civilization violate the second law of thermodynamics?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The evolution of human civilization doesn't violate the second law of thermodynamics because Earth is not an isolated system. Even though local order increases, it is fueled by the input of low-entropy energy from the Sun and the export of high-entropy heat back to space, ensuring that the overall entropy of the universe still increases, and thus not violating the second law.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the Second Law of Thermodynamics

The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that the total entropy of an isolated system can never decrease over time; it often increases. Entropy is a measure of randomness or disorder in a system. Thus, for any spontaneous process, the total entropy of a system and its surroundings always increases.
02

Human Civilization and Thermodynamics

The evolution of human civilization appears to contradict the second law as it seems to create order from disorder, effectively decreasing entropy. From building cities to advancing technology, humans have created increasingly complex systems out of the chaotic natural world.
03

Understanding Earth as a Non-Isolated System

The seeming contradiction is resolved by understanding that Earth is not an isolated system. It continuously receives low-entropy radiant energy from the Sun, and radiates high-entropy heat back into space.
04

Resolution of the Paradox

This continuous energy exchange allows order to arise on Earth (reducing entropy in a localized way) without violating the second law. The total entropy of the universe is still increasing; this is simply difficult to observe on the small scale of human civilization.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

The molar specific heat at constant pressure for a certain gas is given by \(C_{p}=a+b T+c T^{2}\), where \(a=33.6 \mathrm{~J} / \mathrm{mol} \cdot \mathrm{K}\), \(b=2.93 \times 10^{-3} \mathrm{~J} / \mathrm{mol} \cdot \mathrm{K}^{2}\), and \(c=2.13 \times 10^{-5} \mathrm{~J} / \mathrm{mol} \cdot \mathrm{K}^{3}\). Find the entropy change when \(2.00\) moles of this gas are heated from \(20.0^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) to \(200^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\).

The human body can be \(25 \%\) efficient at converting chemical energy of fuel to mechanical work. Can the body be considered a heat engine, operating on the temperature difference between body temperature and the environment?

Problem 76 of Chapter 16 provided an approximate expression for the specific heat of copper at low absolute temperatures: \(c=31(T / 343 \mathrm{~K})^{3} \mathrm{~J} / \mathrm{kg} \cdot \mathrm{K}\). Use this to find the entropy change when \(40 \mathrm{~g}\) of copper are cooled from \(25 \mathrm{~K}\) to \(10 \mathrm{~K}\). Why is the change negative?

A cosmic heat engine might operate between the Sun's \(5800 \mathrm{~K}\) surface and the \(2.7 \mathrm{~K}\) temperature of intergalactic space. What would be its maximum efficiency?

An air-source heat pump has an actual COP of \(2.72\) on a winter day when the outdoor temperature is \(-7.0^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\). It supplies heat to a home at the rate of \(18.8 \mathrm{~kW}\) and delivers heated air at \(48.0^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\). (a) Find the heat pump's electrical power consumption. (b) Compare the heat pump's daily operating cost with that of a gas furnace if electricity costs \(11.4 \mathrm{c} / \mathrm{kWh}\) and gas costs \(\$ 1.28\) per hundred cubic feet (CCF), with each CCF supplying \(25.3 \mathrm{kWh}\) of heat. (c) What percent is the actual COP of the theoretical maximum COP?
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