Entropy
Learning Objectives:
1. explain what is entropy
2. identify spontaneous processes
Imagine you have
a perfectly tidy
room where
everything is in its
place.
What would
happen to the
things that are
properly placed?
(without the attitude of
orderliness)
You mean this?
You mean this?
Without the effort
to clean it up,
what do you think
would happen
more to the room?
Entropy
The concept of entropy basically talks about
the spontaneous changes that occur in
everyday phenomena or the tendency of
the universe towards disorder. Generally,
entropy is defined as a measure of
randomness or disorder of a system.
High? or Low?
Spontaneous Process
A spontaneous process is one that occurs on
its own, without any energy input from the
outside. For example, a ball will roll down an
incline; water will flow downhill; ice will melt
into water; radioisotopes will decay, and the
iron will rust.
Spontaneous Reactions
Reactions are favourable when they result in a
decrease in enthalpy and an increase in entropy
of the system. When both of these conditions are
met, the reaction occurs naturally. A
spontaneous reaction is a reaction that favours
the formation of products at the conditions under
which the reaction is occurring.
Spontaneous Reactions
HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H2O + energy
CaCl2→ Ca2+ + 2Cl− + energy
Non-Spontaneous Reactions
Non-spontaneous reactions are those that do not
occur naturally without the input of external
energy.
Non-Spontaneous Reactions
2H2O→2H2+O2 (uses electric current)
6CO2+6H2O+light energy→C6H12O6+6O2
(uses sunlight)
N2+3H2→2NH3
(uses high pressure and temperature)
Quiz
1. Which of the following represents an increase
in entropy?
a. Freezing of water
b. Boiling of water
c. Crystallization of salt from a supersaturated
solution
d. Reaction of 2NO N2O2
Quiz
2. Which of the following is in the correct order of
standard state entropy?
a. I only
b. II only
c. III only
d. I and II only
3. Which of the processes A–D will lead to a positive
change in the entropy of the system? If all of these
processes lead to a positive change in the entropy of
the system, select E.
a. Sodium chloride crystals form as saltwater
evaporates.
b. Helium gas escapes from the hole in a balloon.
c. Stalactites form in a cave.
d. Water freezes in a freezer.
e. All of these lead to a positive change in entropy of the
system, as they are all spontaneous.
Quiz
4. Which of the following processes will lead to a
decrease in the entropy of the system?
a. Salt crystals dissolve in water.
b. Air escapes from a hole in a balloon.
c. Iron and oxygen react to form rust.
d. Ice melts in your hand.
e. None of these lead to a negative change in the
entropy of the system, as they are all spontaneous.
Quiz
5. A reaction that is spontaneous __________.
a. is very rapid
b. will proceed without outside intervention
c. is also spontaneous in the reverse direction
d. has an equilibrium position that lies far to the left
e. is very slow
Quiz
6. The thermodynamic quantity that expresses the
degree of disorder in a system is ______.
a. enthalpy
b. internal energy
c. bond energy
d. entropy
Quiz
7. The entropy of the universe is __________.
a. constant
b. continually decreasing
c. continually increasing
d. zero
Quiz
8. Which one of the following processes produces a
decrease of the entropy of the system?
a. dissolving sodium chloride in water
b. sublimation of naphthalene
c. dissolving oxygen in water
d. boiling of alcohol
Quiz
9. If a liquid crystallizes into a solid, entropy will
a. Increase
b. Decrease
c. Remains unchanged
d. Zero
Quiz
10. What is the primary definition of entropy in
thermodynamics?
a. Energy Conservation
b. Measure of Disorder
c. Heat Capacity
d. Volume Expansion
