Why does water have higher entropy than helium?

AI Thread Summary
Water has higher entropy than helium under standard conditions due to its molecular structure and behavior. While helium is a gas and consists of single atoms, water is a liquid composed of multiple molecules that can interact in complex ways. The greater number of water molecules per volume contributes to its higher entropy, as these molecules possess more degrees of freedom, including variations in orientation and position. This complexity leads to a higher level of disorder in water compared to helium, which may seem more ordered due to its gaseous state. Understanding entropy requires considering both the number of particles and their possible arrangements, highlighting that water's molecular interactions result in greater entropy despite its liquid state.
MathewsMD
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Hi,

Under standard conditions, why does water have higher entropy than helium? Isn't helium a gas? I understand that water has more atoms, but it seems more ordered and is a liquid. I'm not sure how a qualitative analysis could lead to the conclusive result that water is higher in entropy compared to helium..

Could anyone please help in guiding me how to properly think about this?
 
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Entropy per volume?
Water has much more molecules per volume, and those molecules have more freedom - in addition to the position, they can also vary in their orientations. Water is not ordered.
 

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