Net Change In Thermodynamics

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most difficult topics to understand in thermodynamics for many students. Students can learn and understand, difficult and abstract concepts better if they are able to see these concepts, in for example, with a simulation. So, in an attempt to better understand the concept entropy and reversibility along with irreversibility of a closed system, we conducted a simulation of an irreversible process of several types of mixing with different substances at different temperatures. This simulation will help to better understand and to prove that the net change in entropy must not be zero if there are irreversibilities are present. Also, the simulation will show how there can be an entropy transfer within the closed system.
Task:
This simulation attempted
…show more content…
However, in the case of a reversible system, it is possible to achieve a net of zero change in entropy. Take for example of when the oil and water was mixed together. If it were possible to truly separate all of the oil and water back to their original state (a reversible system), the net change in entropy will be zero. However, as mentioned before, it truly is not possible to separate all of the oil and water once they were mixed together like in the simulation. An example of a reversible system is the Carnot Cycle, which is a non-real reversible cycle. In this power cycle, the net change in entropy is zero because the system ends in the same state and with the same parameters as it started. Since this cycle is non-real it does not occur in real life and is impossible to achieve. Similarly, there is not possible way to perform the mixing of hot and cold water simulation and achieve a zero net change in the entropy of the system. This is due to the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics which states that the entropy of an isolated system spontaneously proceeds to the state of maximum entropy. Therefore, the entropy of an isolated system can never be decreased. The simulation that was ran clearly demonstrates the 2nd Law very well as can be seen from Table 1. The net change in entropy for every run of the simulation was positive and greater than zero. This simulation does not need to be modified in any way as it allows the student to understand the concept of reversibility, irreversibility, and as well as the 2nd Law of

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