How does maximum entropy work?


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Cameron Tran 3E
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2023 9:58 am

How does maximum entropy work?

Postby Cameron Tran 3E » Mon Feb 06, 2023 5:55 pm

How does entropy reach its maximum at equilibrium when there is no change? How does that make sense?

Also, is this true for other properties such as enthalpy (when there is no change, it is at "maximum"?)

Aghigh Banitaba 1B
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2023 2:24 am

Re: How does maximum entropy work?

Postby Aghigh Banitaba 1B » Mon Feb 06, 2023 6:33 pm

I think it is the fact that at equilibrium the system has occupied the full volume. Because at equilibrium concentrations don't change and if there is a change the system will try to go back to the equilibrium ratio. So at equilibrium the system will have the greatest number of possibilities and greatest entropy because it occupies the whole space. The entropy at that point does not change because a system at equilibrium does not change its concentrations. Energy of a system is at minimum when thee system is at equilibrium and does not change but I am not quite sure why that is.


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