Question

2) The cowpea chlorotic mottle virus is one of the simplest organisms known. It consists of just two things: an RNA genome, and an approximately spherical shell that holds and protects the genome (the shell is called a capsid). The capsid consists of 180 copies of the same protein molecule. If you prepare a solution containing the protein molecules and the RNA genome, these will, under the right buffer conditions, spontaneously self-assemble into intact, infectious viruses. Consider the following statement: "The entropy of the assembled viruses is less than that of the individual protein and RNA molecules from which they are formed. However, the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics tells us that, in any spontaneous process, the entropy must always increase. Thus the self-assembly of viral capsids violates the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics Is this statement correct or incorrect? Why?

Answer 1

2nd law of thermodynamics can never be violated, means entropy can never increase. So what is wrong in the statement is that we are considering the entropy of system (Virus) only which we find to be decreased, but it should be entropy of system and surrounding which actually increases on assembling this virus.