Ch.18 - Thermodynamics: Entropy, Free Energy & Equilibrium

McMurry8th EditionChemistryISBN: 9781292336145Not the one you use?Change textbook

McMurry 8th Edition

Ch.18 - Thermodynamics: Entropy, Free Energy & Equilibrium

Problem 28

Chapter 18, Problem 28

Rank the situations represented by the following drawings according to increasing entropy.

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insert step 1: Understand the concept of entropy. Entropy is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. In general, the more disordered a system is, the higher its entropy.

insert step 2: Analyze each drawing. Look for indicators of disorder, such as the number of particles, their arrangement, and their distribution.

insert step 3: Compare the drawings. Identify which drawing has the most ordered arrangement and which has the most disordered arrangement.

insert step 4: Rank the drawings. Start with the drawing that has the least disorder (lowest entropy) and end with the one that has the most disorder (highest entropy).

insert step 5: Review your ranking. Ensure that the order reflects increasing entropy, from the most ordered to the most disordered system.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Entropy

Entropy is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. In thermodynamics, it quantifies the number of microscopic configurations that correspond to a thermodynamic system's macroscopic state. Higher entropy indicates greater disorder and a higher number of possible arrangements of particles, while lower entropy suggests a more ordered state.

States of Matter

The states of matter—solid, liquid, and gas—differ in their entropy levels. Solids have the lowest entropy due to their fixed, orderly arrangement of particles. Liquids have higher entropy as particles are more mobile, and gases exhibit the highest entropy due to their free movement and vast spacing between particles, allowing for numerous configurations.

Thermodynamic Processes

Thermodynamic processes involve changes in energy and matter that can affect a system's entropy. For example, when a solid melts into a liquid or a liquid vaporizes into a gas, the entropy of the system increases. Understanding these processes helps in ranking different situations based on their entropy, as transitions to more disordered states correspond to higher entropy values.

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Related Practice

Textbook Question

Ideal gases A (red spheres) and B (blue spheres) occupy two separate bulbs. The contents of both bulbs constitute the initial state of an isolated system. Consider the process that occurs when the stopcock is opened.

(b) What are the signs ( + , - , or 0) of ∆H, ∆S, and ∆G for this process? Explain.

(d) Relate each of the pictures to the graph in Figure 18.11.

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Textbook Question

An ideal gas is compressed at constant temperature. What are the signs ( + , - , or 0) of ∆H, ∆S, and ∆G for the process? Explain.

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Textbook Question

Consider the dissociation reaction A₂(g) ⇌ 2 A(g). The following pictures represent two possible initial states and the equilibrium state of the system:

(b) What are the signs ( + , - , or 0) of ∆H, ∆S, and ∆G when the system goes from initial state 1 to the equilibrium state? Explain. Is this a spontaneous process?

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Textbook Question

Consider again the dissociation reaction

(e) What is the value of ∆G for the dissociation reaction when the system is at equilibrium?

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