In: Physics
Suppose that the Earth was thermally insulated from the rest of the universe so that it was an isolated system. Describe the entropy of the Earth as a function of time.
Consider taking two identical ice cubes out of the freezer. You place one in a cup and let it melt; you take the other and smash it with a hammer and then put it in an identical cup and allow it to melt. Compare the entropy changes of the two ice cubes.
Upon freezing, water becomes more orderly and its entropy decreases. Explain why this process does not violate the second law of thermodynamics.