Question

How will I know if entropy will be maximized and minimized?And also wanted to understand what is a thermodynamic configuration space?

Answer 1

Solution -

1 ) Entropy is the degree of randomness in the system.

Any system changes its state or chemical reaction proceeds in forward direction will lead to increase the entropy of the system by entropy generation . This change of state continues till the whole system comes in equilibrium ( Thermal , chemical etc ,) .This is the equilibrium point where the entropy of the system reaches maximum.

So if the system attains the equilibrium state it means that entropy has attained it's maximum.

Entropy generation leads to increase in irreversibility in the system that actually degrades the efficiency of the system means work producing devices will produce less work and work consuming devices will consume more work on account of losses due to irreversibility.

So when then systems efficiency is high and and the whole system is reversible in nature it means the entropy of system is minimum .

2 ) Thermodynamic configuration space -

Thermodynamic configuration space can be understood as we have a system and having many components and each one have its own property so we set a mathematical system using all the variables of the component that gives us the system's property that property is composite property of all components and setting up a configuration or relationship between component and the entire system and that gives us system variables which depends on the components variables and these are plotted in the 2 - D or 3-D and the curve of path plotted shows the system's changing behaviour with changes in variables.

That space which shows the system's configuration or behaviour changes on change of system's variables is known as thermodynamic configuration spaces.

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