Question

Which statement regarding entropy is false?

-A child builds a tower from a pile of blocks. The entropy of the blocks increases.
-Sugar poured into a container of water disolves. The entropy of the sugar and water increases.
-A candle burns to heat the surrounding air. The entropy of the candle and surrounding air increases.
-A log in a fire burns to form ashes. The entropy of the log increases.

Answer 1

The false statement is that building a tower from blocks increases the entropy of the blocks; in reality, it decreases entropy since it involves ordering the system.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement regarding entropy that is false is: "A child builds a tower from a pile of blocks. The entropy of the blocks increases". In this case, organizing blocks into a structured tower actually decreases the entropy of the blocks because the system is going from a more disordered state (a pile of blocks) to a more ordered state (a structured tower). This organizational process requires energy input and is not spontaneous, hence it does not align with the nature of entropy, which tends to increase in spontaneous processes.

Entropy is a measure of disorder or randomness in a system, and it tends to increase as systems evolve towards equilibrium. For example, dissolving sugar in water, burning a candle, and burning a log of wood all increase entropy because these processes involve moving from a state of lower disorder to a state of higher disorder.

Final answer:

The false statement is that building a tower from blocks increases the entropy of the blocks; in reality, it decreases entropy since it involves ordering the system.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement regarding entropy that is false is: "A child builds a tower from a pile of blocks. The entropy of the blocks increases". In this case, organizing blocks into a structured tower actually decreases the entropy of the blocks because the system is going from a more disordered state (a pile of blocks) to a more ordered state (a structured tower). This organizational process requires energy input and is not spontaneous, hence it does not align with the nature of entropy, which tends to increase in spontaneous processes.

Entropy is a measure of disorder or randomness in a system, and it tends to increase as systems evolve towards equilibrium. For example, dissolving sugar in water, burning a candle, and burning a log of wood all increase entropy because these processes involve moving from a state of lower disorder to a state of higher disorder.