Entropy & spontaneity questions
Assignment: Entropy & spontaneity short answer questions
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Given that the standard entropy of gaseous water is 189 J K-1 mol-1 and the standard entropy of liquid water is 69.9 J K-1 mol-1 calculate the standard entropy change when one mol of gaseous water condenses to the liquid state, H2O(g) → H2O(l).
Consider the reaction:
2NO2(g) → N2O4(g)
i. Predict the sign (positive or negative) for the entropy change for the reaction.
ii. Explain why the entropy change for the above reaction is considerably more than for the reaction:
H2(g) + I2(g) → 2HI(g)
Use the information below to calculate the entropy change of formation of copper(I) oxide.
You are unlikely to use orange crystals of ammonium dichromate(VI), (NH4)2Cr2O7(s), in a school laboratory as it is a highly toxic substance.
It is also carcinogenic and can explode when heated.
When it thermally decomposes (see image on right) it is both oxidised and reduced according to the equation:
(NH4)2Cr2O7(s) → Cr2O3 (s) + N2 (g) + 4H2O (g)
i. State what is oxidized and what is reduced during the thermal decomposition of ammonium dichromate(VI).
ii. Clearly the thermal decomposition of ammonium dichromate is very exothermic (ΔH⦵ = −1794 kJ mol−1).
What can you also deduce about the change in entropy?
In a blast furnace limestone (calcium carbonate) is decomposed into calcium oxide and carbon dioxide according to the equation:
CaCO3(s) → CaO(s) + CO2(g)
i. The standard enthalpies of formation of CaCO3(s), CaO(s) and CO2(g) are – 1207 kJ mol-1, – 635 kJ mol-1 and – 394 kJ mol-1 respectively.
Calculate the standard enthalpy change, ∆H⦵, for the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate.
ii. The standard entropy values for CaCO3(s), CaO(s) and CO2(g) are 92.9 J K-1 mol-1,
40.0 J K-1 mol-1 and 214 J K-1 mol-1 respectively.
Calculate the change in entropy, ∆S⦵, for the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate.
iii. Calculate the change in standard Gibbs energy, ∆G⦵, for the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate at 298 K.
iv. State whether the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate is spontaneous or non-spontaneous at 298K.
v. Explain why limestone cliffs are thermodynamically stable whereas limestone decomposes readily in a blast furnace.
Propene reacts with hydrogen at 180 oC in the presence of a nickel catalyst to give propane.
C3H6(g) + H2(g) → C3H8(g)
i. Use the information below to determine the value for the free enthalpy change for this reaction at 180 oC.
ii. At 180 oC this reaction is spontaneous.
Determine the temperature above which the reaction becomes non-spontaneous.