AND OF THE SECOND LAW 81 



SECTION E 



PHYSICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MORE SPECIFIC STATEMENTS 

 OF THE SECOND LAW GIVEN ON PAGES 44-47 



In making here the contemplated comparisons and interpreta- 

 tions we must keep in mind the three helpful propositions given 

 on p. 44. 



The conservative statement under (i) is confessedly based 

 on the Calculus of Probabilities as applied to a mechanical system. 

 We repeat here therefore what was said about (4) of the preceding 

 series of equivalents, namely, that the number of complexions 

 of the state is a necessary feature of this statement of the second 

 law and therefore constitutes its physical significance. 



The statement under (2) is a common one. As each of the 

 exact definitions of the entropy for every natural event has been 

 shown to depend solely on the number of complexions of a system 

 (all the bodies participating in the event being considered a part 

 of the system) we have here likewise in this number an adequate 

 physical explanation of the second law. 



Statements (3), (8) and (9) have already been derived and 

 explained in this presentation (see pp. 45, 46) as the result of the 

 growth of the number of complexions in every natural event, 

 when all the bodies participating in the event are considered. 



Statement (4) is only a slight variation of (3) and needs no 

 special comment here. 



The same may be said of the three forms under (5). 



The statement in (6) is only a corollary resulting from the 

 use of (3) or (4) or (5). 



The statement in (7) of the second law may be objected to 

 because the underlying definitions are not entirely free from 

 ambiguity and because it lacks a scientifically general character. 

 But it expresses compactly a matter of great consequence in 

 technical circles. Moreover its explanation in our physical terms 



