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Topic starter 15/01/2022 6:54 pm
Hello everyone! In the literature I've come across various formulations of the second law of thermodynamics. In one case, the second law says that it is impossible to create an engine of the second kind; "it is impossible to build a periodically operating machine that would only cool the heat reservoir and do the work" (formulation of Thomson and Planck). Otherwise, the second law postulates the existence of a state function called entropy. I don't fully understand how these two formulations of the same law are related to each other?
16/01/2022 6:53 pm
I can advise you to read Physical Chemistry by Atkins. It has a very clear and interesting depiction of the correlation between the two. Both of the descriptions deals with increas of entropy in unequaled conditions
Marie Curie liked
16/01/2022 8:32 pm
I agree with the advice @amalgama - it's shown there how the existence of a function called entropy is derived by considering the Carnot cycle - a reversible cyclic process consisting of two isotherms and two adiabats. Then the concept of entropy is "transferred" to the chemical aspects
Marie Curie liked
Topic starter 19/01/2022 8:40 pm
thanks for the advice!