Have you ever heard of Entropy? Despite looking like a complex issue, in fact it is quite simple and serves to explain different phenomena. In this post, you will check what entropy is.

So, do not forget to read this article until the end and take the time to ask your questions about it!

What is entropy?

“Entropy” as a general concept is a measure of disorder in a system. This PRINCIPLE states that any process leads to a constant or higher entropy of the universe. Can be understood in terms of probability. It, the entropy always increases, because a great amount of disorder is, by definition, more probable than if the system is ordered.

A practical example of entropy in thermodynamics is the melting of an ice cube. In this physical process, the disorder of the molecules increases spontaneously, causing the water to pass from the solid state to the liquid.

In an ice cube the water is in a solid state and its molecules are arranged in a more rigid system. As the ice cube melts and the water moves to the liquid state, the molecules get more room to move. And so your entropy increases.

Now, suppose you take this water and boil. The entropy will increase further in the process of boiling and evaporation.

If entropy decreases when water cools or freezes, how does the entropy in the universe only increase?

The entropy may decrease somewhere, as long as it increases elsewhere at least of equal or greater intensity. The entropy of a system decreases only when it interacts with another system, this having its entropy increased in the process. By carrying out entropy, it does notviolate the second law of thermodynamics, since on the other hand some energy has been increased. To freeze the water you need to generate more power for a refrigerator remove heat from the water, the congelando-

Thus the total entropy of the universe always increases.

Why is it important to know about entropy?

But after all, why know about entropy ? How can this kind of knowledge be useful?

Study this concept can help us understand the

weather d Earth. The terrestrial cossystem functions as an entropy-inducing central . It imports solar energy and exports the same amount of energy, of terrestrial origin, but with greater entropy, as you will see below.

In practice , when the solar radiation reaches the atmosphere, several energy transformations that lead to increased entropy.

Let’s look at the processes that occur within the Earth’s ecosystem and that generate entropy.

Entropy-generating processes on Earth

Ice, water and steam

The fact that the earth has a Qu and tmosfera allowing water to be present in three physical states are selves, alone is decisive for the generation of entropy. In the atmosphere, warmer air masses tend to rise and move to colder regions , while colder air masses tend to move towarmer regions of the globe.

These processes result in movements of air masses, which results in a considerable increase of Atmosphere entropy, although locally some decreases can be verified .

Potential energy

In the equatorial region , the energy recovered is greater than the emitted energy, whereas in the polar regions the situation is the inverse.

In this way, differences in temperature and air density are established, which lead to a distribution of potential energy that not even thus is available for to become the kinetic energy of general planetary circulations .

The kinetic energy

It is subject to constant dissipation due to friction at the surface , These transformations , which are irreversible , they happen in a progressive cascade of degradation until it appears on the molecular scale in the form of heat and therefore with a successive increase of entropy.

Naturally irreversible phenomena

As explained so far, entropy only increases with the natural phenomena of the climate system , so they are naturally irreversible.

For example, the turbulent movements of the terrestrial layer ; the general circulation of

the Atmosphere where a cloud can not return to be the same after a rain ; the rivers do not run back from the mouth to the spring ; erosion of river banks of the sea-shore , where a stone or sand does not return to the same place; etc.

All these natural processes are therefore associated with a generation of entropy. And an increase in the entropy of a system corresponds to a decrease, or a decrease, of the available energy and an evolution that tends to a state of greater disorder.

Briefly, the First Fundamental Principle of Thermodynamics states that energy of the universe is constant, and that will not be created nor destroyed, only transformed. The Second Principle , that of Entropy, states that in natural processes, energy can only vary in a single direction from the most usable form of energy to a form of energy that is less usable and therefore more degraded.

Now that you know what entropy is, have you understood why the subject of climatology is so complex and so important to understanding Earth’s natural changes? Leave your opinion, comment below!