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Which is an irreversible process? and Its Example

An irreversible process is one where the system and surroundings cannot revert to their original states by simply reversing the direction of the process. These processes are a fundamental aspect of thermodynamics and are characterized by several key features including energy dissipation, an increase in entropy, non-equilibrium states, and hysteresis.

Irreversible Process

Irreversible Process

The process is said to irreversible, if the system passes in the sequence of non-equilibrium states any natural process carried out with the finite gradient is an irreversible process.

The irreversible process is deal with systems which are not at in equilibrium but are nevertheless stationary. Theory in effect uses thermodynamics deal with kinetic phenomena. In this there is nevertheless, a distinction between the thermodynamics of irreversible processes.

Characteristics of Irreversible Processes

Irreversible processes are marked by the dissipation of energy in forms such as heat, friction, or other resistive forces. This energy loss cannot be fully recovered, meaning that some energy is always "wasted" in the form of unusable heat. Additionally, irreversible processes result in an increase in the total entropy of the system and its surroundings. Entropy, often associated with disorder, is a measure of the number of ways a system can be arranged. Irreversible processes move the system towards greater disorder and higher entropy.

Moreover, these processes often involve non-equilibrium states. This means that during the process, there are gradients of temperature, pressure, or chemical potential within the system, indicating that different parts of the system are not in equilibrium with each other. Lastly, hysteresis is a characteristic of many irreversible processes. This refers to the dependency of the state of the system on its history, meaning that the path taken by the system to reach a state differs from the path taken to return, showing a history-dependent behavior.

The causes of irreversibility

1. Unrestricted friction.

2. Mechanical and fluid friction.

3. Heat transfer with the finite temperature difference.

4. Involvement of dissipative effects.

5. Lack of equilibrium during the process.

Examples

Examples of Irreversible Processes

Heat Transfer:

Natural heat transfer from a hot object to a cold one is a classic example of an irreversible process. Once heat flows from the hot object to the cold one, the process cannot spontaneously reverse without external work, and the total entropy increases.

Mixing of Substances:

When two different gases or liquids mix, they spontaneously form a homogeneous mixture. Separating them again requires significant energy input and is practically impossible to do perfectly. This mixing process is driven by entropy increase.

Friction:

Frictional forces convert mechanical energy into heat, which dissipates into the surroundings. This conversion and dissipation of energy increase the entropy of the system and surroundings, making the process irreversible.

Spontaneous Chemical Reactions:

Exothermic reactions, such as combustion, where reactants convert to products with the release of heat, are typically irreversible. Reversing the products back into reactants would require external work and often would not be feasible or complete.

Expansion of Gases:

The free expansion of a gas into a vacuum (Joule expansion) is an irreversible process. During this expansion, the gas spreads out to fill the available space without performing work, leading to an increase in entropy.

 Adiabatic wall:  Which does not permit  flow of heat.

Diathermic Wall:  Which permit flow of heat.

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