The Second Law of Thermodynamics

J. C. Baird's Own Notes

The Second Law in a Nut Shell

Preface to Lewis and Randal's Thermodynamics

Second Law using Adobe Acrobat

Introduction

Entropy

1. Evolution
2. Ehrenfest's Dog-Flea Problem
3. Information and Entropy, Cybernetics & Stuff
4. Definition of Entropy
5. Statistical Mechanics
6. The Direction of Time

1. Melting of Ice at 273K
2. Chemical Reactions at Constant T and P

Absolute Entropy and the Third Law of Thermodynamics

1. Entropy Changes for the Phase Changes of Water

The Gibbs Free Energy

1. Free Energies for Chemical Reactions
2. Gibbs Free Energy and the Equilibrium Constant

Some Special Topics in the Application of Free Energy

1. Photosynthesis vs. Chemosynthesis
2. Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and the Water Gas Reaction