Final answer:
The Second Distributive Law in physics refers to the Second Law of Thermodynamics which states that the entropy of an isolated system can never decrease over time, and hence the useful energy decreases as the system tends towards equilibrium.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term Second Distributive Law can be confusing, as it might suggest a mathematical principle. However, within the context of physics, it refers to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which is a fundamental law concerning energy transformations and the concept of entropy. The second law states that for any natural thermodynamic process, the total entropy of an isolated system can never decrease over time. This means that energy will tend to spread out, and the quality of energy as useful energy decreases as a system progresses toward equilibrium. In other words, energy transitions from being concentrated to dispersed, and from useful forms that can perform work to less useful forms.
When considering different arrangements of a system, from state A to state B, each with the same amount of matter and energy, the second law dictates that the direction of the rearrangement will always be towards a situation with less useful energy. It determines whether rearrangements will be spontaneous. To initiate rearrangements in the opposite, non-spontaneous direction, an external input of useful energy is required.
The principle provides profound implications for physical processes and can be summarized by saying that, without external influence, once you leave situation A for A', you cannot return to A because, in transitioning to A', there is a decrease in energy available to do work. The essence of this law gives rise to the understanding that perpetual motion machines are impossible because they would violate this fundamental physical constraint.