Re: Entropy and states of matter

[John Mallinckrodt <ajmallinckro@CSUPOMONA.EDU>]

On Tue, 26 Feb 2002, Jim Green wrote:

> John, here is another example where an unhelpful view of "heat" distracts
> from good pedagogy.  If one talks about "heat escaping" from the
> condensate, it just confuses students.

Jim,

Do you have evidence to support this statement?  I understand very
well your philosophical position on this matter, but I am highly
skeptical of this assertion.

> Wouldn't it be more helpful to say ... [as] the gas condenses
> negative work is done on the molecules and hence their energy
> level decreases and so does the entropy of the condensate. In
> the process positive work is done on the ambient gas and hence
> it's energy level increases and so does the entropy.

Well, no, I *really* don't think so.  Do *you*?

John Mallinckrodt      mailto:ajm@csupomona.edu
Cal Poly Pomona          http://www.csupomona.edu/~ajm