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Ch.19 - Free Energy & Thermodynamics
Chapter 19, Problem 41d

Calculate ΔSsurr at the indicated temperature for each reaction. d. ΔH°rxn = +114 kJ; 77 K

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Identify the formula to calculate the change in entropy of the surroundings, which is given by \( \Delta S_{\text{surr}} = -\frac{\Delta H_{\text{rxn}}}{T} \).
Note that \( \Delta H_{\text{rxn}} \) is given as +114 kJ. Since entropy is typically expressed in J/K, convert \( \Delta H_{\text{rxn}} \) from kJ to J by multiplying by 1000.
The temperature \( T \) is given as 77 K. Ensure that the temperature is in Kelvin, which it is in this case.
Substitute the values into the formula: \( \Delta S_{\text{surr}} = -\frac{114,000 \text{ J}}{77 \text{ K}} \).
Simplify the expression to find \( \Delta S_{\text{surr}} \).

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Key Concepts

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

Entropy (ΔS)

Entropy is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. In thermodynamics, it quantifies the amount of energy in a physical system that is not available to do work. A positive change in entropy (ΔS > 0) indicates an increase in disorder, while a negative change (ΔS < 0) suggests a decrease in disorder. Understanding entropy is crucial for predicting the spontaneity of reactions.
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Enthalpy (ΔH)

Enthalpy is a thermodynamic property that reflects the total heat content of a system. It is defined as the internal energy plus the product of pressure and volume (H = U + PV). The change in enthalpy (ΔH) during a reaction indicates whether the reaction is exothermic (ΔH < 0) or endothermic (ΔH > 0). This concept is essential for calculating the surrounding entropy (ΔS surr) using the relationship between enthalpy and temperature.
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Gibbs Free Energy and Surrounding Entropy

The Gibbs free energy (G) combines enthalpy and entropy to determine the spontaneity of a reaction at constant temperature and pressure. The relationship ΔG = ΔH - TΔS allows us to calculate the change in entropy of the surroundings (ΔS surr) using the enthalpy change and the temperature. A reaction is spontaneous if ΔG is negative, which is influenced by both ΔH and ΔS surr.
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