Chapter 3
Atkins & de Paula:
Atkins’ Physical Chemistry
Part I: Equilibrium
Chapter 3: The Second Law
Second Law
Spontaneous process:
A process that does not require work to be done to
bring it about
Second law of thermodynamics
(Kelvin statement)
No process is possible in which
the sole result is the absorption
of heat from a reservoir and its
complete conversion into work
3.1 Dispersal of Energy
Bouncing ball:
Energy is spread out as thermal
motion of the atoms of the floor
Direction of change that leads
to dispersal of the total energy
of the isolated system
3.2 Entropy
First Law:
Internal energy (U) is used to identify permissible change
Second Law:
Entropy (S) is used to identify the spontaneous change
among those permissible changes
Second law of thermodynamics (Entropy statement)
The entropy of an isolated system increases in the course of a
spontaneous change: ∆ Stot > 0
Thermo. Definition of Entropy
Thermodynamic definition of Entropy
dq f dqrev Unit of entropy: J K-1
dS = rev ∆S = ∫
T i T Molar entropy: J K-1mole-1
<Example 3.1>
Calculate the entropy change of a sample of perfect gas when it
expands isothermally from a volume Vi to a volume Vf.
dqrev 1 f
f q
∆S = ∫ = ∫ dqrev = rev
i T T i T
∆U = 0 Q Isothermal process
Vf Vf
∴ qrev = − wrev = nRT ln ∴ ∆S = nR ln
Vi Vi
Surrounding Entropy
Entropy of surroundings
dq dq qsur
dS sur = sur ,rev = sur ∆S sur =
Tsur Tsur Tsur
For an adiabatic change : ∆S sur = 0
<Illustration 3.1>
The entropy change in the surroundings when 1 mole of H20 (ℓ)
is formed from its elements under standard conditions at 298K.
Molecular Interpretation
Boltzmann distribution
Ni e − Ei / kT
=
N ∑ e − Ei / kT
i
Statistical entropy (Boltzmann formula)
S = k ln W or S = k ln Ω
where W or Ω : number of microstates
k = 1.381 × 10-23 J K-1
R = NA k
Entropy as a State Function
The entropy as a state function
dS is independent of path
dqrev
∫ T =0
Carnot Cycle:
A cycle composed of alternating isothermal and
adiabatic “reversible” expansions and compressions