Explain the second law of thermodynamics and explain why it is not violated by living organisms?

Answer 1

this increase in organization over time in no way violates the second law. The entropy of a particular system, such as an organism, may actually decrease, so long as the total entropy of the universe-the system plus its surroundings-increases. Thus, organisms are islands of low entropy in an increasingly random universe. The evolution of biological order is perfectly consistent with the laws of thermodynamics.

Answer 2

The second law of thermodynamics states that in any energy transfer or transformation, the total entropy of a closed system will always increase over time. Living organisms are not in violation of this law because they are not closed systems; they exchange matter and energy with their environment to maintain their internal organization and decrease entropy locally, while the total entropy of the entire system still increases.

Answer 3

No. The formation of living organisms occurs through processes that create more increase in entropy in the surroundings than the reduction of entropy inherent in the formation of the living organism, thus the formation of living organisms does not violate the second law of thermodynamics.

Answer 4

Basically, living beings need energy, just like any process needs energy. By "doing their things", e.g. moving around, reproducing, simply breathing, they use up energy, converting it into lower-quality energy. In other words, entropy increases.

Answer 5

Even though living organisms take raw materials and create complex structures, they still obey the 2nd law of thermodynamics because as they carry out their biological processes, they release heat to the surrounding environment and increase the entropy of the universe. The second law doesn't say that entropy within a system cannot decrease, it just states that the decrease is more than offset by an increase in the entropy of the surroundings.

Answer 6

No - living systems release heat to their surroundings as they undergo their organizing processes so although they may become more organized locally, the entropy of the universe is still increasing.

Answer 7

The second law of thermodynamics only applies to a closed system in which neither matter nor energy can enter or leave. Those who claim that organisms evolving into more complex forms violate the second law ignore the fact that neither the organisms, the ecosystems nor the earth itself are closed systems. The earth and its ecosystems receive energy from the sun and energy is also continuously reflected or radiated out into space.

Arguing that evolution violates the second law of thermodynamics is essentially equivalent to arguing that food getting cold in a refrigerator does the same thing.

Answer 8

Quite simply, just like any machine, a living organism needs a constant supply of energy from the outside.

Answer 9

Why? Simply because there is no way the Second Law can be violated!

Answer 10

I think no.