Skip to main content
Back

Entropy definitions

Control buttons has been changed to "navigation" mode.
1/15
  • Entropy
    Tendency of a system to adopt its most probable, disordered state, reflecting the statistical likelihood of molecular arrangements.
  • Disorder
    State where molecules are arranged in numerous possible ways, making it statistically more probable than ordered arrangements.
  • Probability
    Likelihood that a system will exist in a particular state, with higher values favoring more disordered molecular arrangements.
  • Delta S
    Quantitative measure indicating the change in disorder; positive values mean increased disorder, negative values mean increased order.
  • Gibbs Free Energy
    Thermodynamic quantity combining enthalpy, temperature, and entropy to predict reaction spontaneity using the equation ΔG = ΔH - TΔS.
  • Thermal Cracking
    Process in the petroleum industry where large hydrocarbons are split into smaller molecules at high temperatures, increasing disorder.
  • Phase Transition
    Change between solid, liquid, and gas states, where increased molecular motion and vibrational freedom raise disorder.
  • Vibrational Freedom
    Extent to which molecules can move and vibrate, with higher values in liquids and gases compared to solids, enhancing disorder.
  • Acyclic Molecule
    Structure with open carbon chains, allowing greater rotational freedom and more possible conformations than rings.
  • Cyclic Molecule
    Structure with atoms connected in a ring, restricting rotational freedom and limiting possible conformations.
  • Lactone
    Cyclic ester that, when opened, increases molecular freedom and disorder due to the formation of acyclic chains.
  • Conformer
    Different spatial arrangement of a molecule due to rotation around single bonds, with more possible in flexible chains.
  • Decarboxylation
    Reaction where a carboxylic acid loses CO2, often producing a gas and increasing the number of molecules and disorder.
  • Spontaneity
    Tendency of a reaction to proceed without external input, favored by increased disorder and higher temperature.
  • Enthalpy
    Thermodynamic property related to heat changes in reactions, distinct from disorder but part of the Gibbs equation.