The Second Law of Life: Energy, Technology, and the Future of Earth As We Know It

229 Pages·2007·3.14 MB·English

by  John E.J. Schmitz

The Second Law of Life

Energy, Technology, and the
Future of Earth As We Know It

The Second Law of Life

Energy, Technology, and the
Future of Earth As We Know It

John E. J. Schmitz
Copyright © 2007 by William Andrew, Inc. No part of this book may be reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the Publisher.
Cover by Hannus Design.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Schmitz, John E. J.
The second law of life : energy, technology and the future of earth as we know it / John
E.J. Schmitz.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8155-1537-1 (978-0-8155)
ISBN-10: 0-8155-1537-5 (0-8155)
1. Entropy. 2. Thermodynamics. I. Title.

QC318.E57S36 2006
536'.73--dc22
2006020372

Printed in the United States of America
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Published by:
William Andrew Publishing
13 Eaton Avenue
Norwich, NY 13815
1-800-932-7045
www.williamandrew.com

Sina Ebnesajjad, Editor in Chief (External Scientific Advisor)

NOTICE
To the best of our knowledge the information in this publication is accurate; however the
Publisher does not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness
of, or consequences arising from, such information. This book is intended for
informational purposes only. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not
constitute endorsement or recommendation for their use by the Publisher. Final
determination of the suitability of any information or product for any use, and the manner
of that use, is the sole responsibility of the user. Anyone intending to rely upon any
recommendation of materials or procedures mentioned in this publication should be
independently satisfied as to such suitability, and must meet all applicable safety and
health standards.
Dedicated to Pieternel, Lucas, Juliette, Emmeline and Jasper

Contents

Contents vii
Foreword xiii
Preface xv
PART I The Birth of a Beautiful Theory: Thermodynamics 1
1. So What Is All This Talk About Entropy? 3
A few simple questions 3
A look at our travel itinerary 7
2. The Science of Heat and Work: Classical Thermodynamics 9
Historical context 9
How easy is it to go back? 15
Heat, energy, and mechanical work 20
What do you mean when you say it’s warm in here? 20
vii
viii The Second Law of Life
What is heat, what is work, and what is energy? 23
Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics 28
The Carnot cycle 28
The moment supreme: entropy is invented 34
Entropy and reversible and irreversible processes 37
Entropy changes in spontaneous, isolated processes 41
The First and Second Laws combined 43
Perpetual motion and engines 43
Entropy and the direction of time 47
Let’s take a break 48
3. Much More About Entropy 51
Do we really understand what entropy is all about? 51
History of the acceptance of the existence of the atoms in physics 52
Statistical Thermodynamics: macroscopic and microscopic views 54
It’s all about probability 54
Connecting entropy with atoms and molecules 57
The Second Law when the systems become real 60
Entropy and the direction of time: reprise 64
Point of zero entropy and of zero absolute temperature 66
Boltzmann’s struggle with the scientific community 68
Energy efficiency and some conclusions 69
4. Link of Thermodynamics to Modern Physics 71
Three men and thermodynamics 71
Why couldn’t Newton’s mechanics explain everything? 72
Dark clouds for classical physics 72
Black body radiation 74
The photoelectric effect 77
The Michelson-Morley Experiment 79
The connection between the classical mechanics of Newton, the
Quantum Mechanical Theory, and the Special Theory of Relativity
80
Contents ix
Thermodynamics at the birth of modern physics 81
Boltzmann’s heritage 81
What Planck thought about thermodynamics 82
What Einstein thought about thermodynamics 83
What Erwin Schrödinger thought about thermodynamics 86
The interpretation of time and its direction 88
What is time? 88
Einstein’s interpretation of time 89
The influence of modern physics on thermodynamics: does relativity
change entropy? 91
PART II Entropy and Our Society, Our Culture, Our Planet, and
Our Universe 93
5. Entropy, the Economic Process, and the World’s Environmental
Problems 95
General environmental trends 96
How entropy plays a role in the economic process and re-defines
concepts such as efficiency and sustainability 101
Relationship between thermodynamics and economic processes 101
Example of an economic process and the Entropy Law 103
A plea for a redefinition of efficiency and sustainability 106
Transformation of terrestrial resources from available to non-
available 109
Summary of entropy and economy 110
6. Energy, Entropy, Life, and Heat Death 113
The contradiction between the thermodynamic push for chaos and the
tremendous degree of molecular and biological organization 113
Chaos and life 114
The statistical nature of physical laws; or, to make something
happen, atoms and molecules need to work together in large groups
116
Life and entropy 117
Entropy and the food chain. 121