Chem
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Worksheet on Entropy and Free Energy
1. Define entropy in your own words, and list the variables or conditions that you must consider
when comparing the entropy of two substances, or when trying to determine the relative
change in entropy.
Entropy is the degree of chaos or disorder in a system. When comparing the relative entropy you
must consider the temperature, the physical state, and the molecular complexity.
2. Does entropy increase or decrease with increase in temperature? Explain.
Entropy increases with increasing temperature. An increase in temperature corresponds to an
increase in the average kinetic energy of the molecules. This means they are moving around
more and have more disorder.

3.
A. Without reference to any data tables, B. Without reference to any data tables,
which member of the following pairs has which member of the following pairs has
the greater predicted amount of entropy. the lesser predicted amount of entropy.
NaCl (s) or NaCl (aq) Free CO2 (g) or CO2 (g) dissolved in
water
MgS (s) or MgF2(s) NO2 (g) or N2O4 (g)
Ne (g) in a 1 L container or Ne(g) in a 2 L Al (s) at 25˚C or Al (s) at 100˚C
container

4. For each of the following reactions, indicate whether you would expect the entropy of the system to
increase or decrease, and explain why. If you cannot tell just by inspecting the equation, explain why.

(a) CH3OH(l) --> CH3OH(g) Increase, gases have more freedom of motion

(b) N2O4(g) --> 2NO2(g) Increase, there are more moles of gas produced in this rxn

(c) CO(g) + H2O(g) --> CO2(g) + H2(g) Can’t tell. The molecular complexity of CO goes up,
but the molecular complexity of H2O goes down. There are the same # of moles of gas on
each side of the equation.

(d) 2KClO3(s) --> 2KCl(s) + 3O2 (g) Increase, you are forming a gas.

(e) 2NH3(g) + H2SO4(aq) --> (NH4)2SO4(aq) Decrease, you are losing gas and you have a
decrease in the number of molecules.

5. Consider the reaction below and without reference to any data tables, draw the proper conclusion
on which condition A-D best represents the reaction being spontaneous as written.

CO2 (g) + H2O (g) --> HCOOH (l) ΔH = -150 kJ

A. The reaction would be spontaneous at all temperatures.
B. The reaction would be spontaneous at lower temperatures but not at higher temperatures.
ΔH is negative and ΔS is negative, so in order for the ΔG to be negative the -TΔS term must be
small.
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C. The reaction would be spontaneous at higher temperatures but not at lower temperatures.
D. The reaction would not be spontaneous at any temperature.

6. Predict which of the following reactions has a positive entropy change.

I. 2 N2(g) + O2(g) → 2 N2O(g)

II. CaCO3(s) → CaO(s) + CO2(g) making a gas!
III. Zn(s) + 2 HCl(aq) → ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g) making a gas!

7. Predict which of the following reactions has a negative entropy change.

I. 2 HgO(s) → 2 Hg(l) + O2(g)

II. Ba2+(aq) + SO42-(aq) → BaSO4(s) making a solid from liquid
III. 2H2O2(l) → 2 H2O(l) + O2(g)

8. Metallic iron is produced by a high temperature process through a series of reactions, one of which
is shown below. Find the various parameters requested using the data which can be found below.
3Fe2O3(s) + CO(g)  2Fe3O4(s) + CO2(g)
What is the standard entropy change for the reaction? Use the table below:
Given Data:
Species S˚ (J/K•mol)
CO2(g) 213.7
CO(g) 197.5
H2O(g) 188.7
Fe3O4(s) 145.3
H2O(l) 69.94
Fe2O3(s) 87.40
CH4O(l) 127
C2H6O(l) 161
C8H18 (l) 329.3
C(diamond) 2.439

ΔS° = [2(145.3) + 213.7] – [3(87.4) + 197.5] = 44.6 J/K

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9. Consider the following spontaneous gas phase reaction of A2 molecules (open circles) and B2
molecules (filled circles):

(a) Write a balanced equation for the reaction. Make sure you include states of reactants and
products.
4A2 (g) + 2B2 (g) → 4A2B (g)

(b) What are the signs (+, -, or 0) of ΔH, ΔS, and ΔG for the reaction? (One of these you should
KNOW from given info, one you should easily be able to predict, and the third you predict based on
the other two.) Explain your answers.
ΔG is negative (IT SAYS THE REACTION IS SPONTANEOUS); ΔS is negative (you are losing a
mole of gas), so ΔH is negative and the reaction must be spontaneous at low temperatures.

10. Would you expect each of the following reactions to be spontaneous at low temperatures,
high temperatures, all temperatures, or not at all? Explain.
(a) PCl3(g) + Cl2(g) --> PCl5(g) ΔH = -87.9kJ
ΔS < 0 (losing a mole of gas), so -TΔS is positive. Therefore, in order for ΔG to be negative, the
temperature must be low.

(b) 2NH3(g) --> N2(g) + 3H2(g) ΔH = +92.2kJ

ΔS > 0 (gaining a mole of gas), so -TΔS is negative. Therefore, in order for ΔG to be negative, the
temperature must be high.

(c) 2N2O(g) --> 2N2(g) + O2(g) ΔH = -164.1kJ

ΔS > 0 (gaining a mole of gas), so -TΔS is negative. Therefore, ΔG is always negative, so the
reaction is spontaneous at all temperatures.

11. Please indicate if TRUE or FALSE:

a. The entropy of a gas increases with increasing temperature. TRUE
b. Spontaneous processes always increase the entropy of the reacting system. FALSE
c. All spontaneous processes release heat to the surroundings. FALSE
d. An endothermic reaction is more likely to be spontaneous at high temperatures than
at low temperatures. TRUE
e. The entropy of sugar decreases as it precipitates from an aqueous solution. TRUE
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12. Consider the following reaction:
N2(g)+3H2(g) --->2NH3(g)

If ΔH = -92.2kJ and ΔS= -0.1987kJ/K, what is ΔG for the reaction at 475°C and at 5°C? Provide the
answer in kJ. In each case, is the reaction spontaneous?

ΔG = (-92.2 kJ) – 748K(-0.1987 kJ/K) = -92.2 kJ – (-148.6276 kJ) = 56kJ (not spontaneous)

ΔG = (-92.2 kJ) – 278K(-0.1987 kJ/K) = -92.2 kJ – (-55.2386 kJ) = -37.0kJ (spontaneous)

13. The enthalpy and entropy change of a reaction are -3.9 kJ/mole and +56.6 J/mole K respectively
at 25oC. What is the free energy change in kJ/mole? Is this reaction always spontaneous, never
spontaneous or does it depend on the temperature?

ΔG = (-3.9 kJ/mol) – 298K(0.0566kJ/mol K) = -3.9 kJ/mol – (16.8668 kJ) = -20.8kJ (spontaneous)

Since ΔS is + and ΔH is -, the reaction is always spontaneous.