The Second Law of Life

Energy, Technology, and the Future of Earth As We Know It

By: DR JOHN E.J. SCHMITZ

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Hardcover | 3 December 2007

At a Glance

Hardcover
226 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.91

Hardcover

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"It isnt that they cant see the solution. It is that they cant see the problem." - G.K. Chesterton In this compelling and important book for general science readers, John Schmitz brings order to the world of chaos that surrounds us. The Second Law of Life refers to the second law of thermodynamics, entropy, which is an omnipresent force that quietly and crucially determines many aspects of our society and daily lives. And yet, we are generally unaware of its presence. Unless we understand entropy and how it affects our world, future generations will face the consequences of the unstoppable laws of physics. Entropy explains the amount of energy no longer capable of conversion into work; in other words, wasted energy or heat loss. Every moment of every day, we lose irreplaceable energy and modern technology is not helping. In fact, it is accelerating the problem at a catastrophic rateand we will ultimately face a heat death crisis and the utter destruction of Earth. Even things we are doing to improve the environment may actually be causing more damage than we think. For example, although recycling is environmentally, socially, and politically correct, it is actually a prolific waster of energy; we must look at entire systems, not just parts. It is critical that we find ways to reduce energy loss. Seeing the problem more clearly will lead to solutions. This fascinating and easily understood journey through the second law of thermodynamics is a step in the right direction.

Industry Reviews

This is one of the most personal science based books I've ever read, explaining ...the author's own personal journey into discovering it's wonders and implications for us all." --Matt Grimshaw, Future Fab International

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The Birth of a Beautiful Theory So what is all this talk about entropy?
The science of heat and work: Classical
Thermodynamics Much more about entropy Link of thermodynamics to modern physics Entropy and Our Society, Culture, Planet, and our Universe Entropy, the economic process, and the world's environmental problems
Energy, entropy and life and heat death
The use of the concept of entropy in other sciences Epilogue
Two more laws of thermodynamics?
Another way of looking at entropy
How does the gas heat up the air pump?
Will shuffling a deck of cards change the entropy?
How much does the entropy change in the case of gas expansion and gas mixing?
Thermodynamic Timeline
Can the human body be considered a heat engine?
Ways to concentrate energy: nuclear energy, photovoltaic cells, and fuel cells
Qualitative definitions and descriptions of entropy
Some simple calculations and interesting numbers
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

The Second Law of Life

Energy, Technology, and the Future of Earth As We Know It

At a Glance

Hardcover

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

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