In: Chemistry
What is entropy (no measure of disorder, please)? How was it introduced in science? What is its significance in chemistry?
The word entropy roots from Greek word 'entropia' which means a turning towards transformation.
All spontaneous process are nothing but dispersing or spreading out because the system increases in volume. Entropy is a measure of energy dispersed as a function of temperature. It measures motional energy of molecules. It is represented by the symbol S.
In any spontaneous process (which are natural and irreversible) , entropy always increases. The entropy of a substance is real physical quantity like pressure or temperature. It a state function or extensive property. According to second law of thermodynamics, whole amount of internal energy of any substance is not convertible into useful work. A portion of this energy which is used for doing useful work is called available energy and the remaining part of the energy which cannot be converted into useful work is called unavailable energy. Entropy is a measure of that unavailable energy and it can be regarded as the unavailable energy per unit temperature.