Bauer/Westfall: University Physics, 2E

Chapter 20: The Second Law of Thermodynamics

Concept Checks
20.1. e 20.2. e 20.3. c 20.4. c 20.5. b 20.6. e

Multiple-Choice Questions
20.1. d 20.2. c 20.3. a 20.4. a 20.5. c 20.6. e 20.7. d 20.8. b 20.9. a 20.10. b e 20.11. a 20.12. c
20.13. c 20.14. a

Conceptual Questions
20.15. One possible reason why the Second Law of Thermodynamics is a benefit is a scenario that is best
described by the ideal gas in a box scenario as explained on page 635. If the Second Law did not exist, it
would be possible for all of the particles to migrate to a small corner of the box. Therefore, a person sitting
in a room could find all of the oxygen collecting in a corner, and thus suffocate.
20.16. It is not a Nobel-winning discovery. Even though the scientist is looking at a very small system, there is
the possibility that it is an open system. For an open system, a decrease in entropy is perfectly reasonable.
20.17. Typical heat pumps have a coefficient of performance greater than 1. This means that for every unit of
electrical power that it uses, more than one unit of power in the form of heat is produced. This is done by
extracting energy from the environment. An electric heater uses the current supplied to produce heat and
the coefficient of performance is typically 1. Therefore, the heat pump has a higher rate of heat produced
per unit electrical energy.
20.18. The most likely arrangement of the 4 particles is 2 particles in each partition. If particle 1 is in partition A,
then there are 3 possible cases where only one particle (2, 3 or 4) is with particle 1 and the remaining two
are in partition B. If particle 2 is in partition A, then there are 2 new possible cases where only one particle
(3 or 4) is with particle 2 and the remaining two are in partition B. A similar argument for putting particle
3 in partition A gives only 1 new configuration for a total of 6 possible ways to place the four particles in a
box with 2 in each partition. The entropy of this system is then given as S = kB ln(w ) where w = 6, so
=S (1.38 ⋅10 −23
)
J/K ln ( 6=
) 2.47 ⋅10−23 J/K. The next most likely arrangement is when 1 particle is in one
partition and the remaining 3 are in the other. If only 1 particle can be in a partition than there are 4
possible configurations, one for each particle. Using w = 4 to find the entropy of this system:
( )
1.38 ⋅ 10 −23 J/K ln ( 4 ) =
S= 1.91 ⋅ 10 −23 J/K.

20.19. The equations under consideration are dE=

int TdS − pdV
= , dS dEint / T + pdV / T . From the first
( )
equation, it is clear Eint is a function of both S and V Eint → Eint ( S,V ) and from the second equation,

( )
S is a function of Eint and V S → S ( Eint ,V ) . This means a partial differential can be taken of each
variable so that ∂Eint /∂S =T , ∂Eint /∂V =− p, ∂S /∂Eint =
1/T , ∂S /∂V =p/T . In general, the mixed second
∂2 f ( x, y ) ∂2 f ( x, y )
partial differentials of a continuous function are equal, i.e. = . This means then that
∂x∂y ∂y∂x
∂ 2 Eint ∂T ∂p ∂2S ∂ (1/T ) ∂ ( p/T )
= = − and = = . Relationships such as these are known as Maxwell
∂V ∂S ∂V ∂S ∂V ∂Eint ∂V ∂Eint
relations. Note that in each case a partial derivative is taken with its companion independent variable
fixed. Hence, e.g., ∂ /∂V in the first Maxwell relation is not the same as ∂ /∂V in the second.

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