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So it appears there is no way to explain entropy to students in their first
algebra-based physics course that is both basically correct and
understandable to students at that level. Typically there are just a few
days on this topic. I'm not going to get very far talking about probability
spaces to kids who don't know anything about probability.
Disorder doesn't quite get it, because some apparently disordered systems
spontaneously order themselves (the salad dressing example) while
increasing entropy.
Energy dissipation doesn't get it, because it's possible to take energy in
macroscopic systems and "dissipate it" into a smaller volume within the
system as thermal energy.
What about invoking "irreversibility"? Is that a tool that works to
describe increasing entropy?
--
Marc Reif
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Science Teacher
AP Workshop Consultant
lesson plans and homework
<https://planbook.com/planbook.html?t=1258691&k=ReifPhysics&v=W&y=2020673>
website for APSI participants: http://apsifool.info
WordPress blog (primarily about science teaching):
http://fysicsfool.wordpress.com/
Arkansas Science Teachers Association <https://arkscience.org/> Treasurer
NWA STEM Teachers <http://www.stemteachersnwa.org/> Vice President
2021 PAEMST <http://paemst.org>State Finalist
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