Final answer:
A process is in the blocked or waiting state when it is in secondary memory and awaiting an event, which is a concept in operating systems and not to be confused with thermodynamic terminology like reversible or spontaneous processes.
Step-by-step explanation:
A process is in the blocked or waiting state when it is in secondary memory and awaiting an event. In operating systems, this is a typical condition describing a process that cannot proceed until a particular condition is met or an event occurs. A process may be waiting on input from the user, a file to become available, or a signal from another process.
This is different from thermodynamic processes where the terminology such as reversible process and spontaneous process is used to describe the state change of a system. Those terms are relevant in the context of thermodynamics, the study of heat, energy, and work within physical systems.
The process is in the waiting state when it is in secondary memory and awaiting an event. In computing, the waiting state refers to a process or program that is temporarily stopped and not actively executing instructions. It is typically waiting for an external event, such as user input or a signal from another process, before it can continue.