Understanding Enthalpy and Entropy: Key Factors in Chemical Reactions

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In summary, the conversation discusses the difference in enthalpy change for a specific compound at different temperatures and pressures and whether entropy change can be used to determine the spontaneity of a reaction. The expert clarifies that enthalpy change is constant as long as the reaction takes place, while free energy changes can differ at different temperatures and pressures due to factors such as the rate of the unfavorable reaction and the value of TdS. The expert also mentions that entropy values alone are not sufficient to calculate the spontaneity of a reaction.
  • #1
yifan
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I've got two questions here.
Why is the enthalpy cahnge for a specific compound differs when temperature, pressure is different?
Can we use the entropy change to deduse whether an reaction can happen naturally?
Thank u
 
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  • #2
The enthalpy change pertains to the level of the chemical equation and thus it is constant as long as the reaction takes place; since enthalpy changes pertains to bond energies. What you are referring to, I believe is, free energy changes. Free energy changes differ at different temperatures and pressures, which can be due to several reasons. For one, the rate of the unfavorable reaction will be increased relative to the favorable reaction at higher temperatures, thus the enthalpy of the reaction as a whole will be different at different temperatures since different proportions, relating to the chemical equation, of products will be formed (think enthalpy change per mole). Also at higher temperatures the value of TdS becomes significant. In order to calculate the spontaneity of a reaction one needs to know this free energy change, entropy value will not be sufficient.


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  • #3
That is great, thank u again. :smile:
 

What is entropy?

Entropy is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. It is a thermodynamic property that describes the amount of energy that is unavailable for work in a given system.

What is the difference between enthalpy and entropy?

Enthalpy is a measure of the total energy of a system, including both its internal energy and the energy required to create or maintain its structure. Entropy, on the other hand, is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system.

How is entropy related to the second law of thermodynamics?

The second law of thermodynamics states that the total entropy of a closed system will always increase over time. This means that in any natural process, the amount of energy that is unavailable for work will increase, leading to an increase in entropy.

What factors affect the entropy of a system?

The entropy of a system is affected by the number of particles in the system, the temperature, and the arrangement of the particles. Generally, as the number of particles and the temperature increase, the entropy also increases. However, a more ordered arrangement of particles can decrease the entropy.

How is entropy used in scientific research and engineering?

Entropy is a fundamental concept in thermodynamics and is used in many scientific and engineering fields. It is used to understand and predict the behavior of systems, such as chemical reactions and heat transfer. It is also used in the design of efficient energy systems and processes.

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