释义 |
second law of thermodynamics ThesaurusNoun | 1. | second law of thermodynamics - a law stating that mechanical work can be derived from a body only when that body interacts with another at a lower temperature; any spontaneous process results in an increase of entropylaw of thermodynamics - (physics) a law governing the relations between states of energy in a closed system |
second law of thermodynamics
second law of thermodynamics[′sek·ənd ′lȯ əv ‚thər·mə·dī′nam·iks] (thermodynamics) A general statement of the idea that there is a preferred direction for any process; there are many equivalent statements of the law, the best known being those of Clausius and of Kelvin. second law of thermodynamics
sec·ond law of ther·mo·dy·nam·icsthe entropy of the universe moves toward a maximum; similarly, the entropy of any isolated microcosm (for example, a chemical reaction) proceeds spontaneously only in that direction that yields an increase in entropy, entropy being maximal at equilibrium. To quote G.N. Lewis, "Every process that occurs spontaneously is capable of doing work; to reverse any such process requires the expenditure of work from the outside."second law of thermodynamics see THERMODYNAMICS.second law of thermodynamics Related to second law of thermodynamics: entropy, NoeticsWords related to second law of thermodynamicsnoun a law stating that mechanical work can be derived from a body only when that body interacts with another at a lower temperatureRelated Words |