In which one of the following processes is there an increase in entrop...
Explanation:
Entropy is a thermodynamic property that measures the degree of disorder or randomness of a system. The second law of thermodynamics states that the entropy of an isolated system always increases over time, or at best remains constant.
Entropy and Energy Degradation:
The term "energy degradation" refers to the process by which energy is converted from a more usable form to a less usable form, such as from mechanical energy to heat energy. This process always results in an increase in entropy. Therefore, any process that involves energy degradation will also involve an increase in entropy.
Isothermal Expansion:
Isothermal expansion is a process in which a gas expands at a constant temperature. During this process, the gas does work on its surroundings, but there is no energy degradation. The reason for this is that the work done by the gas is reversible, meaning that it could be undone without any loss of energy.
In contrast, a polytropic expansion involves a change in temperature, which means that energy is being added or removed from the system. This process always results in an increase in entropy. Similarly, isochoric heat addition and isobaric heat addition involve energy being added to the system, which also leads to an increase in entropy.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the only process in which there is an increase in entropy with no degradation of energy is isothermal expansion. This is because the work done by the gas is reversible and can be undone without any loss of energy.