AP Chemistry Flashcards: Introduction To Entropy

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Introduction To Entropy, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for AP Chemistry.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: What is the standard entropy change formula for a reaction?

Answer: $\Delta S = S_\text{products} - S_\text{reactants}$. Standard formula for calculating entropy change in chemical reactions.

Flashcard 2: Find $\Delta S$ for $q = 300 \text{ J}$ at $T = 400 \text{ K}$.

Answer: $\Delta S = 0.75 \text{ J/K}$. Direct calculation using $\Delta S = q/T$.

Flashcard 3: What is the relationship between entropy and microstates?

Answer: $S = k_B \ln \Omega$. Boltzmann's equation linking macroscopic entropy to microscopic states.

Flashcard 4: What does $k_B$ represent in the entropy-microstates equation?

Answer: $k_B$ is the Boltzmann constant. Fundamental physical constant relating energy to temperature.

Flashcard 5: Identify the equation relating entropy change to heat and temperature.

Answer: $\Delta S = \frac{q_{\text{rev}}}{T}$. Relates entropy change to reversible heat transfer at constant temperature.

Flashcard 6: Identify the entropy change when a perfect crystal is at absolute zero.

Answer: Entropy is zero at absolute zero for a perfect crystal. Third law establishes absolute entropy reference point.

Flashcard 7: What is the sign of entropy change for an exothermic process with gas decrease?

Answer: The entropy change is negative. Gas decrease reduces disorder despite heat release.

Flashcard 8: What happens to entropy when a gas expands into a vacuum?

Answer: Entropy increases when a gas expands into a vacuum. Free expansion increases molecular spatial distribution.

Flashcard 9: What are the units of entropy in the International System of Units (SI)?

Answer: The units of entropy in SI are joules per kelvin (J/K). Energy per temperature unit, reflecting heat capacity per kelvin.

Flashcard 10: How does entropy change with temperature in an isolated system?

Answer: Entropy increases with temperature. Higher temperature increases molecular kinetic energy and disorder.

Flashcard 11: Which has higher entropy: $1 \text{ mol}$ of $H_2O$ gas or $1 \text{ mol}$ of $H_2O$ liquid?

Answer: $1 \text{ mol}$ of $H_2O$ gas has higher entropy. Gas phase provides maximum molecular freedom.

Flashcard 12: Which has higher entropy: a mixture of gases or pure gases separately?

Answer: A mixture of gases has higher entropy. Mixing increases possible molecular arrangements.

Flashcard 13: What is the definition of entropy in thermodynamics?

Answer: Entropy is a measure of disorder or randomness in a system. Higher entropy means more dispersed energy and molecular arrangements.

Flashcard 14: State the symbol commonly used to represent entropy.

Answer: The symbol $S$ is commonly used to represent entropy. Standard thermodynamic notation for entropy state function.

Flashcard 15: What is the entropy change for a system in thermal equilibrium?

Answer: The entropy change is zero. Equilibrium means no net entropy change occurs.

Flashcard 16: Which process decreases entropy: condensation or vaporization?

Answer: Condensation decreases entropy. Condensation creates order by reducing molecular freedom.

Flashcard 17: Determine $\Delta S$ for a reversible isothermal expansion with $q = 150 \text{ J}$, $T = 300 \text{ K}$.

Answer: $\Delta S = 0.5 \text{ J/K}$. Apply entropy formula for isothermal reversible process.

Flashcard 18: What is the value of Boltzmann's constant $k_B$?

Answer: $k_B = 1.38 \times 10^{-23} \text{ J/K}$. Standard value used in statistical mechanics calculations.

Flashcard 19: Does entropy increase or decrease during the dissolution of salt in water?

Answer: Entropy increases during dissolution. Dissolution disperses ions, increasing system disorder.

Flashcard 20: What is the entropy trend when a substance changes from gas to liquid?

Answer: Entropy decreases. Gas-to-liquid transition reduces molecular freedom.

Flashcard 21: What is the expected entropy change when a system becomes less ordered?

Answer: The entropy change is positive. Decreased order directly correlates with increased entropy.

Flashcard 22: Identify the process: $\Delta S > 0$ and $\Delta G < 0$ at constant $T$ and $P$.

Answer: The process is spontaneous. Positive entropy change indicates thermodynamic favorability.

Flashcard 23: Does entropy increase or decrease when ice melts?

Answer: Entropy increases when ice melts. Phase transition from ordered solid to liquid state.

Flashcard 24: Which entropy change is greater: solid to liquid or liquid to gas?

Answer: Liquid to gas has a greater entropy change. Gas phase transition involves much greater volume expansion.

Flashcard 25: Which has a greater entropy: a solid or its corresponding liquid?

Answer: The corresponding liquid has greater entropy. Liquid molecules have greater freedom than solid.

Flashcard 26: Calculate the entropy change: $q = 200 \text{ J}$, $T = 400 \text{ K}$.

Answer: $\Delta S = 0.5 \text{ J/K}$. Apply $\Delta S = q/T = 200/400$ formula.

Flashcard 27: Which has higher entropy: $1 \text{ mol}$ of $O_2$ gas or $1 \text{ mol}$ of $O_2$ liquid?

Answer: $1 \text{ mol}$ of $O_2$ gas has higher entropy. Gas phase has much greater molecular freedom.

Flashcard 28: Choose the process with a positive entropy change: dissolution or crystallization.

Answer: Dissolution has a positive entropy change. Dissolution disperses solute particles, increasing disorder.

Flashcard 29: What is the third law of thermodynamics concerning entropy?

Answer: The entropy of a perfect crystal at absolute zero is zero. Establishes absolute entropy scale at zero temperature.

Flashcard 30: Calculate $\Delta S$ given $q = 500 \text{ J}$ and $T = 250 \text{ K}$.

Answer: $\Delta S = 2 \text{ J/K}$. Standard entropy calculation using given values.

Flashcard 31: Which process increases entropy: freezing or melting?

Answer: Melting increases entropy. Melting increases molecular disorder compared to freezing.

Flashcard 32: Define the second law of thermodynamics in terms of entropy.

Answer: Entropy of an isolated system always increases over time. Fundamental principle stating universal entropy increase in isolated systems.

Flashcard 33: What is the term for entropy related to the number of possible microstates?

Answer: Statistical entropy. Statistical mechanics approach to entropy measurement.

Flashcard 34: Identify the entropy change sign for a reaction producing more moles of gas.

Answer: The entropy change is positive. More gas molecules create greater molecular disorder.

Flashcard 35: Calculate $\Delta S$: $\Delta H = -100 \text{ J}$, $T = 298 \text{ K}$, $\Delta G = -50 \text{ J}$.

Answer: $\Delta S = \frac{-50 + 100}{298} \text{ J/K}$. Use $\Delta G = \Delta H - T\Delta S$ rearranged.

Flashcard 36: Does entropy increase or decrease in a system where volume increases?

Answer: Entropy increases when volume increases. Larger volume provides more molecular position options.

Flashcard 37: What is the entropy change when a system becomes more ordered?

Answer: The entropy change is negative. Increased order corresponds to decreased entropy.