Answer:
This is a valid statement
Explanation:
Entropy is a thermodynamic entity which portrays the inaccessibility of a system in converting its thermal energy into work(mechanical work). In simpler terms, it is described as the degree of chaos or disorder in a system. It is also observed as the tendency of a system to depreciate over time. <u>Entropy refers to the spontaneous dissipation of energy within a system; this trend is seen over time & as more processes occur within the system</u>.
<u>Taking nature as a thermodynamic system</u>
It is a well-known fact that the world we live in is far from ideal (where everything happens in an orderly manner). The implication of this is that energy cannot be effectively converted into mechanical work (the efficiency of the processes that occur in earth system is always lesser than 100%); as energy moves from one form to another, more energy is dissipated. Human activities from day-to-day interferes with nature's energy; as we interact with nature, energy moves from one form to another (thermal energy into mechanical work).
From experimentation and observation in nature, it is evident that all systems operates at an efficiency much lesser than 100% (as earlier stated); this means that in every process, a certain amount of energy is lost/dissipated. Consider the illustration below:
"A refrigerator receives energy (electric energy) of 100 kJ, this energy is converted into thermal energy, the thermal energy is then converted and used to do mechanical work of 50 kJ."
N.B: The most efficient simple thermal system in the world has an efficiency of just a little above 50%.
This means that of the 100 kJ energy supplied to the system, only about 50 kJ was converted into mechanical work. <u>The other 50 kJ is lost to friction and heat losses; this 50 kJ lost represents the entropy of the system</u>. As the process is continually repeated, this energy loss to nature increases
Hence, it is said that "Entropy is the tax we pay for borrowing Nature's power"
