Table of contents

1. A Review of General Chemistry5h 5m
2. Molecular Representations1h 14m
3. Acids and Bases2h 46m
4. Alkanes and Cycloalkanes4h 17m
5. Chirality3h 39m
6. Thermodynamics and Kinetics1h 22m
7. Substitution Reactions1h 48m
8. Elimination Reactions2h 30m
9. Alkenes and Alkynes2h 9m
10. Addition Reactions3h 19m
11. Radical Reactions1h 58m
12. Alcohols, Ethers, Epoxides and Thiols2h 42m
13. Alcohols and Carbonyl Compounds2h 17m
14. Synthetic Techniques1h 26m
15. Analytical Techniques:IR, NMR, Mass Spect7h 3m
16. Conjugated Systems6h 13m
17. Ultraviolet Spectroscopy51m
18. Aromaticity2h 34m
19. Reactions of Aromatics: EAS and Beyond5h 1m
20. Phenols55m
21. Aldehydes and Ketones: Nucleophilic Addition4h 56m
22. Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: NAS2h 51m
23. The Chemistry of Thioesters, Phophate Ester and Phosphate Anhydrides1h 10m
24. Enolate Chemistry: Reactions at the Alpha-Carbon1h 53m
25. Condensation Chemistry2h 9m
26. Amines1h 43m
27. Heterocycles2h 0m
28. Carbohydrates5h 53m
29. Amino Acids4h 20m
30. Peptides and Proteins2h 42m
31. Catalysis in Organic Reactions1h 30m
32. Lipids 2h 50m
33. The Organic Chemistry of Metabolic Pathways2h 52m
34. Nucleic Acids1h 32m
35. Transition Metals6h 14m
36. Synthetic Polymers1h 49m

6. Thermodynamics and Kinetics

Entropy

Organic Chemistry

6. Thermodynamics and Kinetics

Entropy

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Problem 18a

Textbook Question

For each of the following processes, indicate whether you expect ∆S° to be greater than, less than, or equal to 0. Explain your answer.
(a) Boiling water

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Understand the concept of entropy (∆S°). Entropy is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. Processes that increase disorder typically result in a positive ∆S°, while processes that decrease disorder result in a negative ∆S°.

Step 2: Analyze the physical change occurring during boiling. Boiling water involves a phase transition from liquid to gas. In the liquid phase, water molecules are relatively close together and have limited freedom of movement. In the gas phase, water molecules are widely spaced and move freely, increasing randomness.

Step 3: Compare the entropy of the liquid phase to the gas phase. The gaseous state has significantly higher entropy than the liquid state due to the increased molecular freedom and disorder.

Step 4: Determine the sign of ∆S° for the process. Since boiling water results in a transition to a more disordered state (gas), the entropy change (∆S°) is expected to be greater than 0.

Step 5: Conclude that ∆S° is positive for boiling water because the process increases the randomness and disorder of the system as water transitions from liquid to gas.

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Key Concepts

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

Entropy (∆S°)

Entropy, denoted as ∆S°, is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. In thermodynamics, a positive change in entropy indicates an increase in disorder, while a negative change suggests a decrease. Understanding how entropy changes during a process is crucial for predicting the spontaneity and feasibility of reactions.

Phase Changes

Phase changes, such as boiling, involve transitions between different states of matter (solid, liquid, gas). During boiling, water transitions from a liquid to a gas, which typically results in an increase in entropy due to the greater freedom of movement and arrangement of gas molecules compared to liquid molecules.

Molecular Freedom and Disorder

As molecules transition from a more ordered state (liquid) to a less ordered state (gas), the freedom of movement increases significantly. This increase in molecular freedom contributes to a rise in entropy, which is why boiling water is expected to have a positive ∆S° value, reflecting the greater disorder in the gaseous state.

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Related Practice

Textbook Question

For each of the following processes, indicate whether you expect ∆S° to be greater than, less than, or equal to 0. Explain your answer.

(b) 2 C₆H₁₄(l) + 19 O₂(g) → 12 CO₂(g) + 14 H₂O(g)

Textbook Question

Using the bond-dissociation energies in Table 5.6 (see Section 5.3.1), estimate the equilibrium constant of the following reaction at 298 K.

Textbook Question

For the following reactions we have not seen yet, which side, if either, would be favored by increasing the temperature?

(b)

Textbook Question

Predict which side of the equilibrium is favored by ∆H, ∆G, and ∆S.

Textbook Question

In Chapter 13, we discuss the ring-opening reactions of epoxides, such as the one shown here.

(b) Predict the sign of ∆S°.

Textbook Question

Would you expect ∆S to be greater than, less than, or equal to zero in the following reactions?

Textbook Question

For a reaction carried out at 25 °C with an equilibrium constant of 1 × 10^-3, to increase the equilibrium constant by a factor of 10:

a. how much must ∆G° change?

b. how much must ∆H° change if ∆S° = 0 kcal mol^-1K^-1?

c. how much must ∆S° change if ∆H° = 0 kcal mol^-1?

Textbook Question

From the following rate constants, determined at five temperatures, calculate the experimental energy of activation and ∆G^‡, ∆H^‡, and ∆S^‡ for the reaction at 30 °C:

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For each of the following processes, indicate whether you expect ∆S° to be greater than, less than, or equal to 0. Explain your answer.(a) Boiling water

Key Concepts

Entropy (∆S°)

Phase Changes

Molecular Freedom and Disorder

Watch next

For each of the following processes, indicate whether you expect ∆S° to be greater than, less than, or equal to 0. Explain your answer.
(a) Boiling water