Life and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

First of all, this balance determines the temperature on Earth, because a body of temperature T emits power crT per unit area, where a =  

7 X 10- Wm-2K is called Stefan-Boltzmann constant (we will not derive or explain this result, except mentioning that it was one of the major ingredients in Max Planck s introduction of quant hypothesis h and c are Planck constant and the speed of light, respectively). Balancing incoming and outgoing power amounts to a simple equation for Earth temperature  

Second Law of thermodynamics sets very rigid cap on the possible amount of useful work W. To see this one has to realize that entropy of a body receiving some heat SQ at temperature T increases by the 

Let s emphasize that radiating all of the incoming energy, in the processed form at temperature Tsarth) our planet releases also all of the entropy produced. Therefore, both energy of Earth and its entropy remain approximately unchanged. 

Indeed, we can use Boltzmann formula (7.2), for instance, to estimate the entropic price of building a hmnan body from its parts. There are about 10 cells in a human body, and if we assmne that all of them are different and each must occupy a uniquely defined position, the entropy loss due to their arrangement will be fcBln(l0 ) 10 Similarly, each 

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