For each of the following processes, specify whether entropy increases or decreases. Explain each of your answers.
a. Assembling a jigsaw puzzle

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of entropy: Entropy is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. Processes that increase disorder result in an increase in entropy, while processes that create more order result in a decrease in entropy.
2. Analyze the process described: Assembling a jigsaw puzzle involves taking individual, disordered pieces and arranging them into a single, ordered picture.
3. Relate the process to entropy: Since the pieces of the puzzle are initially in a disordered state and the process of assembling them creates a more ordered state, the overall disorder of the system decreases.
4. Determine the change in entropy: A decrease in disorder corresponds to a decrease in entropy for this process.
5. Conclude: The entropy decreases when assembling a jigsaw puzzle because the system becomes more ordered as the pieces are put together.

Key Concepts

Entropy

Entropy is a measure of disorder or randomness in a system. In thermodynamics, it quantifies the number of microscopic configurations that correspond to a thermodynamic system's macroscopic state. Higher entropy indicates greater disorder, while lower entropy suggests more order. Understanding entropy is crucial for analyzing processes in terms of energy dispersal and system organization.

Order vs. Disorder

The concepts of order and disorder are fundamental to understanding entropy. A system is considered ordered when its components are arranged in a structured manner, while it is disordered when the arrangement is random. In the context of assembling a jigsaw puzzle, the initial state is disordered, and as pieces are put together, the system becomes more ordered, which affects the overall entropy of the process.

Thermodynamic Processes

Thermodynamic processes refer to the transformations that a system undergoes, which can involve changes in energy, temperature, and entropy. These processes can be classified as reversible or irreversible, with irreversible processes typically leading to an increase in entropy. Analyzing the assembly of a jigsaw puzzle as a thermodynamic process helps to illustrate how the transition from disorder to order impacts entropy.