Please help me answer this question. It is a physical chemistry question, so I n

Question

Please help me answer this question. It is a physical chemistry question, so I need the help of a physical chemistry expert. Please help me answer this question thoroughly,not just a summary, my grade depends on it. Thank you.

4. (20 points) The concept of entropy, and the second law of thermodynamics have often been used (usually misused in reality) to "explain" all kinds of things. It is frequently up to chemists to set the record straight in such cases. One argument which has been used to "disprove" evolution goes something like this: Living beings are more complex than nonliving systems. Furthermore, humans are more biologically complex than lower life forms such as monkeys. Entropy is a measure of randomness, the opposite of complexity. The evolution of life from nonlife, or of a more complex organism from less complex ones, must then increase the organizational complexity and thus decrease the entropy The second law of thermodynamics tells us that in a spontaneous process the entropy must increase and can never decrease. Therefore spontaneous evolution, either as the ultimate source of life, or in the development of more complex living systems, is impossible. From a thermodynamic perspective, this statement is fatally flawed. A. Carefully explain why it is fatally flawed. B. What would a correctly applied entropy argument say about evolution?

Explanation / Answer

A,B

The question is an attempt to correlate the two mysterious forces in the universe- 'the entropy' and ' the evolution'. To correctly evaluate the question and to ascertain its significance we will have to realise the statements put forward to explain the entropy and the evolution in a nutshell. The entropy is the measure or so called the exponent to measure the randomness or the chaos in the universe, The more the entropy, the more chaotic the environment is

Conversely the evolution running in unison to the adaptability in a particular environment leads to the change in the biodiversity and the change in the biological characteristics of a particular species. Like for example the giraffe neck being long in a prolonged effect of the adabtability towards the changing environment which lead to the evolved giraffe neck.

Thus evolution is exemplerary in the diverse biological races and species found in the earth and this in turn leads to a more chaotic/ disordered environment. Hence I can say that the evolution and entropy works hand in hand in explaining the physical traits of the living world.

The statement is flawed in the sense that it clearly misinterprets the concept of evolution. The evolution is the key to produce the new complex organisms from the less complex ones which in turn will lead to the increase in entropy rather than the decease in entropy. More complex organism and their more complex systems will lead to the more random and more chaotic envirnment which is the increase of the entropy.

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