Running head: Entropy and 2nd Law of Thermodynamics and its Environmental Impact

Entropy and 2nd Law of Thermodynamics and its Environmental Impact

Bo Chen

University of North Texas

COMM 1010 Section 008

Ms. Denecia Spence

November 25, 2009

Running head: Entropy and 2nd Law of Thermodynamics and its Environmental Impact
2

Entropy and 2nd Law of Thermodynamics and its Environmental Impact

Entropy and the 2nd Law

Broadly speaking, Entropy is a measurement of the degree of randomness of energy in an

isolated system. Low Entropy Energy – which is energy in a highly ordered and compact form –

is more useful to us than Energy in a high entropy, and thus low order form. Some examples of

this are gasoline, prepared food, and sunlight. All three have low entropy. When these things are

“used” or “consumed” their entropy increases and they are transformed into a higher entropy and

thus more useless form of energy. Hardy (2009) stated that in the Second Law of

Thermodynamics Entropy in any given system tends to increase over time until it reaches an

equilibrium level. If you place a drop of red dye into a glass of water the redness will slowly

disperse itself until the red dye has been equally diluted throughout the entire glass of water. If

you keep the door open between two adjoining rooms of different temperatures the cooler room

will become warmer and the warmer room will cool down until they both reach the same final

temperature.

No Free Lunch

Greene (2003) reported that all perpetual motion machines violate the law of

thermodynamics because efficiency is always lost and entropy always increases in any given

process. In essence, there is no free or perpetual energy. Even though the law of conservation

of mass and energy states that total energy in any isolated system will remain the same, our

global consumption of resources always irreversibly transforms the useful low entropy energy

into useless states of high entropy energy.

Running head: Entropy and 2nd Law of Thermodynamics and its Environmental Impact
3

The Great Energy Pyramid

Penrose (2009) remarked that the energy supplied by the sun would be totally useless if it

was not for the fact that our sun is a hot spot in an otherwise cold background. Indeed, for the

sun’s energy to be useful to us at all it firsts must be in a low entropy form, and secondly it must

exists in a thermal disequilibrium. By the process of photosynthesis the sun’s low entropy

energy is absorbed by plants to decrease their own entropy. Herbivores consume plant materials

to lower their own systems of entropy. Carnivores eat the herbivores and so on and so forth. As

human beings we are on the top of the food chain and are least efficient and most wasteful. Our

actions have the largest negative multiplier effect that degrades the entire ecosystem.

Paradox Resolved

If the 2nd law states that entropy always increases (become less ordered) in every process

then what accounts for higher ordered nature of the human body, a clean room, or the structure

of civilization? Boson (1964) elucidates that from an energy standpoint, the second law of

thermodynamics prefers the formation of the virtually all known complex and ordered chemical

compounds directly from their simpler constituent elements. Therefore, contrary to mass

opinion, the second law does not require the decrease of ordered structure by its predictions, but

only demands a "spreading out" of energy when such ordered compounds are formed

spontaneously. In simpler layman terms, low entropy locally is derived at the expense of

increased entropy globally. I can clean a room because of the low entropy of food that I have

previously consumed, and society can build highways, airports and skyscrapers because it burns
Running head: Entropy and 2nd Law of Thermodynamics and its Environmental Impact
4

petroleum and other low entropy sources of power and thereby increase total entropy in an

isolated system such as earth.

Enviromental Conclusions

As human beings we are on the very top of the “food chain” pyramid and therefore it is

an unavoidable physical and mathematical certainty that we consume disproportionate amounts

of the world’s energy and resources. Our enjoyment of life (rapid reduction of local entropy)

comes directly at the expense of polluting the environment (exponential increase of total global

entropy). Wealthy Americans have the ability to more massively reduce their own local entropy

levels directly at the expense of increasing total global entropy that much faster for the rest of us.

Seen in this new light, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet first making their billions and then helping

out the less fortunate is quite ironic from a standpoint of energy and thermodynamics. Jevons

(2009) proposed that technological advancements that increases the efficiency with which a

resource is used, tends to increase (instead of decrease) the rate of consumption of that particular

resource. Efficiency alone is not enough; we must also practice reduction of consumption.

Sometimes the best footprint to leave is none at all, this may sound poetic or idealistic but it is a

physical and mathematical truth.

Running head: Entropy and 2nd Law of Thermodynamics and its Environmental Impact
5

References

Boson, Higgs. (1964). The Second law of thermodynamics and evolution. Retrieved from

http://2ndlaw.oxy.edu/evolution.html

Greene, B. (2003). The elegant universe: Superstrings, hidden dimensions, and the quest for the

ultimate theory. "City: New York City." W.W. Norton & Co..

Hardy, M. (2009, November 18). Second law of thermodynamics. Retrieved from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_law_of_thermodynamics

Jevons, W.S (2009). The coal question. "City: New York City." General Books LLC.

Mingus, C. (2005, April 15). Two opposing types of order. Retrieved from

http://www.everythingforever.com/st_order3.htm

Penrose, R. (2007). The road to reality: A complete guide to the laws of the universe. "City: New

York City." Vintage.