Chemistry 30 Diploma Practice Exam

The main idea is the second law: for a spontaneous process, the total entropy of the universe (the system plus its surroundings) must increase. This means the sum of the changes in entropy for both parts is positive, not just the system on its own. The statement that best expresses this is that the entropy of the universe increases, without specifying a rate. The rate or speed isn’t fixed by the law, and at equilibrium the total entropy change is zero. In practice, a process can involve the system becoming more ordered while the surroundings gain enough disorder (often via heat flow) to produce a net increase in the universe’s entropy. The other phrasing options either claim a decrease, no change, or add an unnecessary qualifier about “increases slowly,” which isn’t the general principle.