Entropy: A hot piece of iron is thrown into the ocean and its temperature eventually stabilizes. Which of the following statements concerning this process is correct? (There may be more than one correct choice.)
A) The entropy lost by the iron is equal to the entropy gained by the ocean.
B) The entropy gained by the iron is equal to the entropy lost by the ocean.
C) The change in the entropy of the iron-ocean system is zero.
D) The ocean gains more entropy than the iron loses.
E) The ocean gains less entropy than the iron loses.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a hot piece of iron is thrown into the ocean, the system (iron + ocean) undergoes an irreversible process towards thermal equilibrium. The entropy of the system increases because the process is not reversible. The ocean gains more entropy than the iron loses because the dispersion of energy (heat) into the much larger mass of the ocean results in a greater increase in entropy for the ocean compared to the decrease in entropy of the iron as it cools.

Entropy: a Hot Piece of Iron Is Thrown into the Ocean