A copper block of mass and specific heat capacity

PHYSICS · Multi-part · Fermi University Physics · Thermal, Statistical & Complex Systems · The laws of thermodynamics · The laws of thermodynamics

Thermal Physics, Ch The second law, entropy and irreversibility

Problem

A copper block of mass

0.80\,\mathrm{kg}

and specific heat capacity

c = 385\,\mathrm{J\,kg^{-1}\,K^{-1}}

, taken as constant, is at

500\,\mathrm{K}

. It is dropped into a large water bath at

300\,\mathrm{K}

, so large that its temperature does not change, and left until the block is at

300\,\mathrm{K}

. The block does no work and no heat escapes elsewhere. ((a)) Find the entropy change of the block. ((b)) Find the entropy change of the bath. ((c)) Find the total entropy change. ((d)) The bath is the coldest body available. Find the work lost in the quench.

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