Entropy change as water is frozen

In summary, the conversation discusses the freezing of 500 g of water in a vessel placed in a freezer at -10.0 ◦C. Using the given specific heat capacities and latent heat of fusion, it is calculated that the total entropy change for the system is 31.4 J K−1, which is consistent with the second law of thermodynamics. However, when attempting to calculate the specific entropy changes for the water and surroundings separately, the values obtained are incorrect. More details of the calculations are needed to determine the source of the error.
  • #1
spiruel
8
0

Homework Statement


A vessel containing 500 g of water, at a starting temperature of 15.0 ◦C, is placed in a freezer at −10.0 ◦C, and left to freeze. (i) If the heat capacity of the vessel is negligible, show that the total entropy change for the system of the water and the inside of the freezer, after the ice reaches the temperature of the inside of the freezer, is 31.4 J K−1 . Is this consistent with the second law of thermodynamics?

The specific heat capacities of liquid water and ice are 4190 J kg−1 K−1 and 2100 J kg−1 K−1 respectively, and its latent heat of fusion is 3.34 × 105 J kg−1 . Take the melting point of ice to be 273 K.]

Homework Equations



[tex]\Delta S = mc\ln\frac{T_2}{T_1}[/tex]
[tex]\Delta S = \dfrac{\Delta Q}{T}[/tex]
[tex]Q= mc\Delta T[/tex]
[tex]Q=ml[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution



[tex]\Delta S_{water} = m\left[c_{water}\ln\frac{T_2}{T_1} + \frac{l}{T} + c_{ice}\ln\frac{T_2}{T_1}\right][/tex] = -762.9 J K^{-1}

[tex]\Delta S_{surroundings} = m\frac{c_{water}\Delta T + l + c_{ice}\Delta T}{T}[/tex] = 751.7 J K^{-1}

I'm getting an incorrect value. What is wrong with my calculation?
 
Last edited:
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  • #2
It looks like the equations you wrote are correct. So now show us the details of the calculations.

Chet
 
  • #3
In particular, which numbers do you use where?
 

1. What is entropy change?

Entropy change refers to the measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. In the case of water freezing, the entropy change refers to the decrease in disorder as the water molecules become more organized in a solid state.

2. Why does the entropy decrease as water freezes?

As water freezes, the molecules lose their kinetic energy and become more rigidly arranged in a crystal lattice. This decrease in molecular motion and increase in organization leads to a decrease in entropy.

3. How does the entropy change of water freezing relate to the second law of thermodynamics?

The second law of thermodynamics states that the total entropy of a closed system always increases over time. In the case of water freezing, the decrease in entropy follows this law as the system (water) becomes more ordered.

4. Is the entropy change in water freezing always the same?

No, the entropy change in water freezing can vary depending on external factors such as pressure and impurities in the water. Higher pressures and impurities can disrupt the formation of the crystal lattice, leading to a smaller decrease in entropy.

5. Can the entropy change in water freezing be reversed?

Yes, the entropy change in water freezing can be reversed by melting the ice. When heat is added to the ice, the molecules gain energy and become more disordered, reversing the decrease in entropy that occurred during freezing.

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