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You add several drops of red food coloring to the water in a beaker without stirring. After a short time, the water has a red color throughout. Was the system of the food coloring and water more organized before or after you added the food coloring to the water? Which law of thermodynamics explains the change in order?

2 Answers

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Final answer:

The system was more organized before the red food coloring diffused through the water. The process is described by the second law of thermodynamics, which indicates an increase in entropy.

Step-by-step explanation:

When you add several drops of red food coloring to water, the diffusion process begins, resulting in the food coloring molecules spreading out evenly throughout the water. Initially, the system of food coloring and water was more organized with a high concentration of coloring in one area, but after diffusion, the coloring becomes evenly distributed, leading to a less organized system. This change in order is explained by the second law of thermodynamics, which states that the entropy (disorder) of an isolated system will increase over time.

User Saeed Ur Rehman
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The coloring and water were more ordered before the stirring. The color was defined to on drop but now it has spread throughout the water.
This increase in disorder is dictated by the second law of thermodynamics, which states that the entropy, or state of disorder, of a system increases.
User Rainabba
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