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Back to 15.7 Statistical Interpretation of Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics: The Underlying Explanation

15.7 Exercise 8

Avg difficulty 2.5

(a) What is the change in entropy if you start with 10 coins in the 5 heads and 5 tails macrostate, toss them, and get 2 heads and 8 tails? (b) How much more likely is 5 heads and 5 tails than 2 heads and 8 tails? (Take the ratio of the number of microstates to find out.) (c) If you were betting on 2 heads and 8 tails would you accept odds of 252 to 45? Explain why or why not.

OpenStax College Physics 2e, 15.7 Statistical Interpretation of Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics: The Underlying Explanation, exercise 8

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Adapted from College Physics © 2022 Rice University. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Sources: College Physics 2e, College Physics for AP® Courses 2e. Imported at revision f98d7a7.