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An isothermal process is a type of thermodynamic process in which the temperature T of a system remains constant: ΔT = 0. This typically occurs when a system is in contact with an outside thermal reservoir, and a change in the system occurs slowly enough to allow the system to be continuously adjusted to the temperature of the reservoir through heat exchange (see quasi-equilibrium).
Whether carried out reversible or irreversibly, the net entropy change of the system is zero, as entropy is a state function. During a closed cycle, the system returns to its original thermodynamic state of temperature and pressure. Process quantities (or path quantities), such as heat and work are process dependent.
The entropy of a given mass does not change during a process that is internally reversible and adiabatic. A process during which the entropy remains constant is called an isentropic process, written Δ s = 0 {\displaystyle \Delta s=0} or s 1 = s 2 {\displaystyle s_{1}=s_{2}} . [ 12 ]
Since an entropy is a state function, the entropy change of the system for an irreversible path is the same as for a reversible path between the same two states. [23] However, the heat transferred to or from the surroundings is different as well as its entropy change. We can calculate the change of entropy only by integrating the above formula.
The entropy change associated with any condensed system undergoing a reversible isothermal process approaches zero as the temperature at which it is performed approaches 0 K. That is, (,) (,) =. Or equivalently,
During the Joule expansion the surroundings do not change, i.e. the entropy of the surroundings is constant. Therefore the entropy change of the so-called "universe" is equal to the entropy change of the gas which is nR ln 2.
For a reversible process, heat is the product of the absolute temperature and the change in entropy of a body (entropy is a measure of disorder in a system). The difference between the change in internal energy, which is Δ U {\displaystyle \Delta U} , and the energy lost in the form of heat is what is called the "useful energy" of the body, or ...
If we calculate the entropy S 1 before and S 2 after such an internal process the Second Law of Thermodynamics demands that S 2 ≥ S 1 where the equality sign holds if the process is reversible. The difference S i = S 2 − S 1 is the entropy production due to the irreversible process. The Second law demands that the entropy of an isolated ...