Reversible work VS Irreversible work
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Reversible work VS Irreversible work
Hello! Could you please explain why a reversible process requires more work than an irreversible process? It doesn't make sense to me because you'd exert more force, and has a greater change in volume in an irreversible process (and should result in greater work) for an irreversible process. Thanks so much!
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Re: Reversible work VS Irreversible work
During a reversible process, a constant external pressure no longer exists so more work is done by a system to push against a variable pressure to reach to a final volume. If pushing against a constant external pressure, then a system has to do less work.
Re: Reversible work VS Irreversible work
Would the only way to have a reversible process to have an isothermal situation? Would the only irreversible process be one in which you have constant pressure and a change in volume?
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Re: Reversible work VS Irreversible work
Both reversible and irreversible processes can happen under various conditions where temperature, pressure, and volume are not always constant. A reversible process is just defined as a process where the change in some property of the system goes through infinitesimal steps with no entropy production, while in an irreversible process finite changes are made to the property of the system.
Re: Reversible work VS Irreversible work
Why do you say that a reversible process involves no entropy production?
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Re: Reversible work VS Irreversible work
For a reversible process deltaS has to be zero since if that wasn't the case to reverse the process you'd have to decrease the entropy of the universe which is impossible.
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