Final answer:
To estimate the total change in entropy when an aluminum cup and water reach thermal equilibrium, entropy changes for both items are calculated separately using the formula ΔS = Q/T and then combined.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is about calculating the total change in entropy when an aluminum cup and water reach thermal equilibrium. Entropy is a measure of disorder or randomness, and it is a concept in thermodynamics that helps us understand energy flows during heat transfer. When two substances with different temperatures come into contact, heat will flow from the hotter to the cooler substance until thermal equilibrium is reached. The change in entropy for each substance can be estimated by the formula ΔS = Q/T, where Q is the heat transferred and T is the absolute temperature in Kelvin. In this case, we would calculate the entropy change for both the aluminum cup and the water separately and add them together to find the total entropy change. We also assume that no heat is transferred to the surroundings.