Question
Some people claim that life's high degree of organization defies the second law of thermodynamics. What makes this statement false?
Step 1
This is often interpreted as the universe's tendency to move towards disorder or randomness. Mathematically, this can be represented as: \[ \Delta S \geq 0 \] where \( \Delta S \) is the change in entropy. Show more…
Show all steps
Your feedback will help us improve your experience
Alexander Burbelo and 66 other Biology educators are ready to help you.
Ask a new question
Labs
Want to see this concept in action?
Explore this concept interactively to see how it behaves as you change inputs.
Key Concepts
Recommended Videos
Some people claim that life's high degree of organization defies the physical law that says that entropy always increases. What makes this statement false?
State the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Living systems may appear to violate the second law of thermodynamics because living things maintain a high degree of organization despite a universal trend toward increasing disorganization. What is the explanation for this apparent paradox?
Comment on this statement: The second law of thermodynamics is one of the most fundamental laws of nature, yet it is not an exact law at all.
Transcript
18,000,000+
Students on Numerade
Trusted by students at 8,000+ universities
Watch the video solution with this free unlock.
EMAIL
PASSWORD