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Measuring
the Energy of Organization:
Entropy and the Driving Forces of Reactions
When comparing a solid to a gas, it
is obvious there is more structure, more organization in the solid. In
fact in crystalline solids, it is that structure that defines the material and
its properties. When that solids changes to a gas and its molecules are
all separated, the organization is lost. People measure the degree of
randomness or disorder of the system or what is called the systems
entropy.
| Impacting
Entropy |
Low
Entropy to High Entropy |
| Phase Changes |
Solids Þ
Liquids Þ
Gases |
| Solutions |
Separate
Components Þ Mixture |
| Temperature |
Low Temperature
(particles are close) Þ High Temperatures
(particles are far apart) |
| Number of
Particles |
Few Particles Þ
Many Particles |
Entropy is important when considering energy changes
involved in chemical transformations. Energy is used in bringing
substances together. Since materials by random processes will have
the tendency to become scattered, the natural tendency is toward greater
entropy. The other natural tendency that is observed is that when
reactions occur, generally energy is released.
Thus the two natural tendencies are...
1. Greater entropy
2. Exothermic reactions
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