Change in Entropy of a Solid or Liquid

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the change in entropy of solids and liquids when both temperature and volume change. Participants explore whether entropy change is solely dependent on temperature or if volume change also plays a significant role, particularly contrasting the behavior of solids and liquids.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that for solids, volume change does not affect entropy because it does not alter the "amount of disorder," while for liquids, volume change should matter.
  • Others present a mathematical framework for entropy variation, suggesting that for a single phase pure substance or constant composition mixture, the change in entropy can be expressed as $$dS=\frac{C_p}{T}dT+\left(\frac{\partial S}{\partial P}\right)_TdP$$.
  • It is noted that the partial derivative of entropy with respect to pressure is related to the volumetric coefficient of thermal expansion and bulk compressibility, leading to the equation $$dS=\frac{C_p}{T}dT-\alpha VdP$$.
  • Some participants mention that the specific volume and coefficient of thermal expansion for solids and liquids are typically small, making the volume-related term negligible in many practical scenarios.
  • A participant expresses confusion about the volume dependence of entropy in solids, particularly in the context of perfect crystals where atomic positions seem fixed regardless of volume changes.
  • Another participant suggests that anharmonic effects, where phonon frequencies depend on volume, may explain the volume dependence of entropy in solids.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the significance of volume change in relation to entropy for solids and liquids. There is no consensus on whether volume change affects entropy in solids, as some argue it does not while others suggest it does through anharmonic effects.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes unresolved questions about the role of atomic and molecular arrangements in solids and their impact on entropy, as well as the applicability of the presented mathematical models to different states of matter.

Philip Koeck
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What about if we allow for a temperature and volume change in a solid or a liquid?
Would the entropy change still only depend on the temperature change or also on the volume change.
For a solid I would think that the volume change doesn't matter since it doesn't change the "amount of disorder", but for a liquid the volume change should matter.
 
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Philip Koeck said:
What about if we allow for a temperature and volume change in a solid or a liquid?
Would the entropy change still only depend on the temperature change or also on the volume change.
For a solid I would think that the volume change doesn't matter since it doesn't change the "amount of disorder", but for a liquid the volume change should matter.
For a single phase pure substance or a constant composition mixture, the variation in entropy can be determined from $$dS=\frac{C_p}{T}dT+\left(\frac{\partial S}{\partial P}\right)_TdP$$It follows from the equation $$dG=-SdT+VdP$$ that the partial derivative of entropy with respect to pressure is given by:$$\left(\frac{\partial S}{\partial P}\right)_T=-\left(\frac{\partial V}{\partial T}\right)_P$$
For a liquid or solid, the equation of state is $$dV=V(\alpha dT-\beta dP)$$where ##\alpha## is the volumetric coefficient of thermal expansion and ##\beta## is the bulk compressibility. So, $$\left(\frac{\partial V}{\partial T}\right)_P=\alpha V$$So, we have:$$dS=\frac{C_p}{T}dT-\alpha VdP$$
Because the specific volume and coefficient of thermal expansion of solids and liquids are very small, in virtually all practical situations, the second term is negligible.
 
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Chestermiller said:
For a single phase pure substance or a constant composition mixture, the variation in entropy can be determined from $$dS=\frac{C_p}{T}dT+\left(\frac{\partial S}{\partial P}\right)_TdP$$It follows from the equation $$dG=-SdT+VdP$$ that the partial derivative of entropy with respect to pressure is given by:$$\left(\frac{\partial S}{\partial P}\right)_T=-\left(\frac{\partial V}{\partial T}\right)_P$$
For a liquid or solid, the equation of state is $$dV=V(\alpha dT-\beta dP)$$where ##\alpha## is the volumetric coefficient of thermal expansion and ##\beta## is the bulk compressibility. So, $$\left(\frac{\partial V}{\partial T}\right)_P=\alpha V$$So, we have:$$dS=\frac{C_p}{T}dT-\alpha VdP$$
Because the specific volume and coefficient of thermal expansion of solids and liquids are very small, in virtually all practical situations, the second term is negligible.
I just quickly checked what that would give for an ideal gas (by replacing α and dP from the ideal gas law) and I get dS = n CV dT / T + n R dV / V, just like it should be. Very nice!

I'm wondering a bit about solids versus liquids.
For liquids I can understand that entropy changes with volume since a liquid can arrange itself in more different ways if it has more space.
For a solid, however, I don't see that. In a perfect crystal every atom is in its spot no matter how big the distance between atoms is. How can one explain the volume dependence of entropy then?
 
Philip Koeck said:
I just quickly checked what that would give for an ideal gas (by replacing α and dP from the ideal gas law) and I get dS = n CV dT / T + n R dV / V, just like it should be. Very nice!

I'm wondering a bit about solids versus liquids.
For liquids I can understand that entropy changes with volume since a liquid can arrange itself in more different ways if it has more space.
For a solid, however, I don't see that. In a perfect crystal every atom is in its spot no matter how big the distance between atoms is. How can one explain the volume dependence of entropy then?
Sorry, I'm a continuum mechanics guy, so analyzing it in terms of atoms and molecules is not part of my expertise.
 
Philip Koeck said:
For a solid, however, I don't see that. In a perfect crystal every atom is in its spot no matter how big the distance between atoms is. How can one explain the volume dependence of entropy then?

The main reason are anharmonic effects as the phonons have, for example, frequencies that depend on volume.
[PDF]Vibrational Thermodynamics of Materials - Caltech
 
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