Take a look at the following uses of the term entropy by several historical figures: Anton Chekhov considered by some as being one of the greatest short story writers said, "Only entropy comes easy." Vaclav Havel, playwright and the first president of the Czech Republic said, "Just as the constant increase of entropy is the basic law of the universe, so it is the basic law of life to be ever more highly structured and to struggle against entropy." Rex Stout, an American crime writer said, "The minute those two little particles inside a woman's womb have joined together, billions of decisions have been made. A thing like that has to come from entropy." Choose one of the quotes above and discuss how the use of the word entropy is similar or different than your current understanding of the term and how it applies to the study of chemistry.
"Only entropy comes easy."
I guess, since converging from hot and cold to lukewarm is easy.
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"Just as the constant increase of entropy is the basic law of the universe, so it is the basic law of life to be ever more highly structured and to struggle against entropy."
Reasonable point, but I consider conservation of energy and mass pretty basic too. He sure shoots holes in the next quote though.
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"The minute those two little particles inside a woman's womb have joined together, billions of decisions have been made. A thing like that has to come from entropy."
I think the opposite.
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The quote I will discuss is the one by Vaclav Havel: "Just as the constant increase of entropy is the basic law of the universe, so it is the basic law of life to be ever more highly structured and to struggle against entropy."
In Havel's quote, he draws a parallel between the increase of entropy in the universe and the struggle for life to become more highly structured and resist entropy. This use of the term entropy is similar to the understanding in the field of thermodynamics, where entropy is a measure of the degree of disorder or randomness in a system. According to the second law of thermodynamics, the entropy of an isolated system tends to increase over time.
In chemistry, the concept of entropy is crucial in understanding the behavior of chemicals and their reactions. Entropy can be thought of as a measure of the number of ways a system can be arranged or the amount of energy spread out in a system. It is often linked to the dispersal of energy and the tendency of systems to move from ordered to disordered states.
Havel's use of the term entropy in relation to life and structure highlights the struggle against disorder. In chemistry, this struggle can be seen in the process of maintaining order in complex systems, such as living organisms. Life, at its core, is an ongoing battle against entropic tendencies, as organisms expend energy to create and maintain highly structured and organized states.
Understanding the concept of entropy in chemistry provides insights into why certain reactions occur, how energy is distributed, and the directionality of processes. Chemical reactions often proceed in a way that increases the overall entropy of the system, leading to a more disordered state. However, the organization and complexity of living systems go against this trend, as they require continuous energy inputs to sustain their structure and function.
Therefore, Havel's use of the term entropy aligns with the understanding of entropy in chemistry, as both highlight the inherent struggle between order and disorder and the constant maintenance of structure in a world where entropy tends to increase.