Hanilen G.

Catama March 23, 2018

BSECE 4 BME

Second Law of Thermodynamics

The second law of thermodynamics is a general principle which places constraints upon the direction of heat
transfer and the attainable efficiencies of heat engines. In so doing, it goes beyond the limitations imposed by the first law
of thermodynamics. Its implications may be visualized in terms of the waterfall analogy.

Second Law: Entropy

Second Law of Thermodynamics: In any cyclic process the entropy will either increase or remain the same.
a state variable whose change is defined for a reversible process at T where Q is the heat
Entropy:
absorbed.
Entropy: a measure of the amount of energy which is unavailable to do work.
Entropy: a measure of the disorder of a system.

Entropy: a measure of the multiplicity of a system.

Since entropy gives information about the evolution of an isolated system with time, it is said to give us the
direction of "time's arrow" . If snapshots of a system at two different times shows one state which is more disordered, then
it could be implied that this state came later in time. For an isolated system, the natural course of events takes the system
to a more disordered (higher entropy) state.

Applications

The concept of the second law of thermodynamics applied to heat engine is equally applicable on the internal
combustion engines used in our cars, motorcycles, ships, airplanes, etc. In the internal combustion engines, the heat is
generated by combustion of fuel inside the engine. The combustion of fuel takes place due to generation of the spark as in
case of the gasoline engines or due to compression of the fuel as in case of the diesel engines.

Some part of the heat generated inside the engine is used to perform the work moving piston inside the engine
cylinder. The piston is connected to the crankshaft via connecting rod. The reciprocating motion of the piston is converted
into the rotary motion of the crankshaft, which is converted to the rotary motion of the wheels via gear box. The
remaining part of the heat generated inside the engine is released to the atmosphere as the exhaust gases or tailpipe
emissions. In this case the engine where heat is generated is called as source, whereas the atmosphere where heat is
released is called as sink.

In our refrigerator, the freezer is maintained at low temperature by removing the heat from it and throwing it to
the atmosphere which is at higher temperature. This does not happen automatically, we have to supply electricity which is
used to run the compressor of the refrigerator.

The same principle is applied to the air-conditioner and heat pump also. The air-conditioner helps to keep the
room cool when outside temperature is very high by removing heat from the room maintained at low temperature. The
heat pump is used to keep the room hot when outside temperature is very low by absorbing the heat from atmosphere and
supplying to the room.

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/thermo/seclaw.html
https://www.brighthubengineering.com/thermodynamics/4352-applications-of-second-law-of-thermodynamics-with-refrigerators/
https://www.brighthubengineering.com/thermodynamics/4349-applications-of-second-law-of-thermodynamics-with-automobile-engines/
http://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/sm1/lectures/node45.html