In thermodynamics, entropy of mixing is a term referring to the entropy changes resultant when two or more non-identical gas particles or chemical species are mixed. This aspect of entropy, supposedly, is attributed to the work of American engineer Willard Gibbs and based on Gibbs’ theorem. [2]
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In 2002, American physicist Jack Hokikian speculated that an entropy of mixing effect occurs when two neighboring countries, such as the United States and Mexico, have a sudden increase in border permeability. In his own words: [1]
“Consider a thermodynamic system consisting of two nations sharing a common border. The border exists to keep the inhabitants of each nation from intermixing freely, thus preventing entropy increase through the process of mixing. However, when the border fails to act as a barrier and allows free movement between nations, the entropy of the system increases accordingly.”
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References
1. Hokikian, Jack. (2002). The Science of Disorder: Understanding the Complexity, Uncertainty, and Pollution in Our World (pg. 58). Los Feliz Publishing.
2. Sprackling, Michael. (2002). Gibbs’ theorem; in Dictionary of Theories: One Stop to more than 5,000 Theories by Jennifer Bothamley. Detroit: Visible Ink.
Further reading
● Perrot, Pierre. (1998). A to Z of Thermodynamics (Entropy of mixing, pgs. 94-95). Oxford University Press.
● Muller, Ingo. (2007). A History of Thermodynamics - the Doctrine of Energy and Entropy (Entropy of mixing, pgs. 129-31). New York: Springer.
● Iribarne, Julio I. and Godson, W.L. (1981). Atmospheric Thermodynamics (Entropy of mixing, pgs. 48-49). Springer.
External links
● Entropy of mixing – Wikipedia.
● Entropy of mixing (ideal gases) – Chem.Arizona.edu.
