Entropy is a physical concept, which is used to clarify the second law of thermodynamics. However, in the book, the author applies the concept of physics to various fields of philosophy, economics, sociology, politics and western culture. Therefore, when studying the article, we need to pay attention to the birth background of the book Entropy: A New View of the Century, and also need to have a general understanding of this new view of the century.

Rifkin and Howard's book was published in 198 1, which made a profound analysis of the negative impact of modern science and technology. Modern science and technology has only developed for hundreds of years, but it has brought a high degree of civilization to mankind and fundamentally changed our world. At the same time, modern science and technology have also caused mankind to fall into various difficulties, such as environmental crisis and energy crisis. 1972, a team of 17 people led by Dennis Medus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology submitted a report entitled "Limits to Growth" to the Club of Rome. The report points out that the growth of population and economy will inevitably exhaust the global non-renewable natural resources, pollute the environment and threaten human survival. This report has caused great repercussions all over the world. Entropy: a new world view, published in 198 1, covers more fields than the limit of growth and has far-reaching significance.

Introducing the concept of entropy into the understanding of the world has greatly expanded its significance in physics. The law of entropy applies not only to the earth, but also to the whole universe. When the effective energy on the earth is exhausted, the effective energy in the universe is also exhausted. The exhaustion of effective energy is called "thermal silence". By that time, all the energy differences tend to zero, all the useful energy is consumed, and there is eternal silence everywhere. The universe is dying irreversibly. This is a new world view.

[Data display screen]

Imagine putting a glass of water on the edge of the table. Push the cup a little and it will fall to the ground-there is no doubt that the cup will be broken into many pieces, and the water will splash over a considerable area, which may be absorbed by the carpet and flow into the cracks in the floor. Our glass of water here just faithfully follows the physical equation. Newton's description is enough. Atoms in cups and water obey Newton's laws independently. Now let's play this image in the opposite direction of time. Because of the time reversibility of these laws, water can just as easily flow out of the gap between the carpet and the floor, into the glass made up of many fragments, and then jump from the floor to the height of the table as a whole, and then stop at the edge. Just like a cup falling and breaking, it all conforms to Newton's law. ..... The first law of thermodynamics derived from Newtonian mechanics is time symmetric. The first law has no restrictions on cups and water, so it excludes the possibility that debris will gather in the cups and miraculously jump back to the table after being filled with water. ..... In order to collect the broken glass and recover all the spilled water, and finally jump back to the table gracefully, their movements must be coordinated with incredible accuracy. To be sure, this kind of coordinated movement does not actually exist. -"The Emperor's New Brain"

Coal is more difficult to mine and process than wood, so it needs more energy to turn it into a useful state. This can also be found in the action of the second law of thermodynamics. The effective energy in the world is constantly consumed, and the most easily available energy is always consumed first. The energy that the latter energy environment depends on is always more difficult to obtain than the main energy of the former energy environment. It is more difficult to mine and process coal than to cut down trees, and it is more difficult to mine and process oil. It is even more troublesome to split atoms to obtain nuclear energy. -Entropy: A New World View

[Instructional Design ABC]]

Design a

First, the introduction of new courses.

The earth (the universe) is a huge treasure house of energy, which we often describe as inexhaustible. Will this energy treasure house really never run out? After reading the article Entropy: A New World View, we will have a clearer understanding.

Second, guide reading.

1. Read the text quickly and explain the meaning of "entropy".

It is clear that "entropy is the measurement unit of the sum of energy that can no longer be converted into work", entropy is the sum of invalid energy and "pollution is synonymous with entropy". We also need to pay attention to the concept of "invalid energy". When talking about the meaning of entropy, the author gives examples of steam engine doing work and river power generation to illustrate that entropy is the sum of energy that can no longer be converted into work.

2. Read the text again to solve two problems: one is energy dissipation, and the other is energy crisis.

Clear: Energy dissipation means the increase of entropy and the decrease of effective energy, and many things we do consume energy, even when you light a cigarette, the effective energy in the world is decreasing. In addition, the non-renewable energy on the earth is limited, and the renewable energy is also limited, so mankind will face an energy crisis. Of course, we can recycle, but it is impossible to recycle 100%. Recycling itself will consume extra energy. When the effective energy in the universe is exhausted, there will be no energy to do work and no life.

3. If we think about entropy and energy, we will have a new understanding of the world, that is, a new world.

Boundary view.

4. The eyes of reading should be sharp and the perception of reading should be sharp. In the two readings, we must find out the key words such as entropy, energy consumption and energy crisis, and make an accurate explanation.

Design b

Design A can be used in reading guidance class, and reading guidance can be changed into problem thinking.

1. After reading the whole article, let the students talk about their general understanding of the article.

2. Teachers can design several questions for students to think and discuss, so as to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the article.

Question 1: At the end of the first paragraph, it is said that if you have heard of proverbs such as "no pains, no gains", "water under the bridge" and "the sky is slow but not leaking", then you will understand the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Why do you say that? Please talk about your understanding of the meaning of these proverbs.

Clear: Because these proverbs can be used to express the meaning of the first law and the second law of thermodynamics. For example, the first law of thermodynamics holds that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but can be transformed from one form to another. The second law of thermodynamics holds that "when energy is transformed from a higher concentration to a lower concentration, it does work", and whenever energy is transformed, we will be "punished". This punishment is the energy that has done work and can no longer do work. That is to say, although the total amount of energy has not changed, it is effective energy before doing work and becomes invalid energy after doing work. Therefore, every energy conversion means that the effective energy decreases and the ineffective energy increases, that is, the entropy increases. That's what the proverb quoted by the author means. "Get something for nothing" means that if you want something, you must work, just like you have to consume energy to work; "Water under the bridge" means that spilled water can no longer be collected, just as the energy consumed by doing work can no longer do work; "Skynet has a long history, but it doesn't leak." That is to say, although the net is wide, it won't let a bad guy escape. What is emphasized here is that, without exception, energy will be consumed when doing work, and entropy will increase when energy is consumed. This is a law that everyone in the universe can't escape.

Question 2: In order to illustrate the scientific truth, the article uses some examples from daily life to help explain. Please find such examples from the article and talk about what they explain.

Clear:

(1) "Tall buildings rise from the ground" and "grass generation" are all energy conversion, which consumes effective energy.

(2) "burning a piece of coal" → energy has not disappeared, but has been transformed, but it can no longer be used to do work.

(3) "Light a cigarette" → To consume energy, the effective energy will be reduced.

There are many such examples, such as "the use of tableware", "taking the red-hot poker out of the fire" and "the river flows into the lake over the dam", and so on. The original profound truth is simple and clear.

Design c

1. Let's talk about environmental pollution first and think about what we should do for the world (the universe) in combination with reality. (Pay attention to environmental protection and energy)

2. Let's start with sustainable development and see what we have done for the world (the universe) with reality. (sense of crisis and responsibility)

3. From the content of this article, use your brains to talk about the understanding and evaluation of the author's new world outlook. (Be aware of technology and innovation)