Which of the following statements is/are true of work in reversible and irreversible processes?
1) Achieving the maximum work available from a spontaneous process can occur only via a hypothetical pathway.
2) In any real cyclic process, work is changed to heat in the surrounding, and the entropy of the universe increases.
3) Achieving the maximum work available from a spontaneous process can occur via a real pathway.

Question

​Which of the following statements is/are true of work in reversible and irreversible processes?
1) Achieving the maximum work available from a spontaneous process can occur only via a hypothetical pathway. 
2) In any real cyclic process, work is changed to heat in the surrounding, and the entropy of the universe increases. 
3) Achieving the maximum work available from a spontaneous process can occur via a real pathway.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

1) True, because the maximum work principle applies to a reversible process, which is an idealized or hypothetical pathway where the system is always in thermodynamic equilibrium. Real processes are irreversible and cannot achieve this maximum work.2) True, because in any real (irreversible) process, some amount of work is always converted to heat due to friction, viscous dissipation, etc., leading to an increase in the entropy of the universe.

​Which of the Following Statements Is/are True of Work in Reversible

Which of the Following Statements Is/are True of Work in Reversible