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Ch.18 - Free Energy and Thermodynamics
Chapter 18, Problem 35a,c,d

Without doing any calculations, determine the sign of ΔSsys for each chemical reaction. a. 2 KClO3(s) → 2 KCl(s) + 3 O2(g) c. Na(s) + 2 Cl2(g) → NaCl(s) d. N2(g) + 3 H2(g) → 2 NH3(g)

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Key Concepts

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

Entropy (ΔS)

Entropy, denoted as ΔS, is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. In chemical reactions, an increase in the number of gas molecules typically leads to an increase in entropy, while a decrease in the number of gas molecules can result in a decrease in entropy. Understanding how the states of matter and the number of particles change during a reaction is crucial for predicting the sign of ΔS.
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States of Matter

The states of matter—solid, liquid, and gas—play a significant role in determining the entropy of a system. Solids have a fixed structure and lower entropy, while gases have more freedom of movement and higher entropy. In the given reaction, the transition from solid KClO3 to gaseous O2 indicates a change in the state of matter that affects the overall disorder of the system.
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Chemical Reaction Stoichiometry

Chemical reaction stoichiometry involves the quantitative relationships between reactants and products in a chemical reaction. In the provided reaction, the stoichiometry shows that 2 moles of solid KClO3 produce 3 moles of gaseous O2 and 2 moles of solid KCl. This increase in the number of gaseous products relative to the reactants suggests an increase in entropy, which is essential for determining the sign of ΔS.
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