Chemistry / Unit 11 Chem 2090 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Second Law of Thermodynamics
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The idea
The second law: for a spontaneous process, total entropy of system plus surroundings always increases.
In practice
A freezing puddle loses entropy as it orders into ice, but the air gains more entropy from the released heat, so the total rises.
Where people slip
A system's own entropy can fall — the law bounds the system-plus-surroundings total, not the system alone.
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