In which of the following changes is there an increase in...

In which of the following changes is there an increase in entropy?
(a) the freezing of water
(b) the condensation of steam
(c) the sublimation of dry ice, solid $\mathrm{CO}_{2}$
(d) the separation of salts and pure water from seawater

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Key Concepts

Entropy

Entropy is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. It quantifies how energy is spread out at a microscopic level, and an increase in entropy generally corresponds to an increase in the number of available microstates or the mixing and dispersal of energy.

Phase Transitions

Phase transitions, such as melting, freezing, evaporation, condensation, sublimation, and deposition, significantly influence entropy. Generally, transitions from a more ordered phase (such as solid) to a less ordered phase (such as gas) result in an increase in entropy, while the opposite transitions lead to a decrease in entropy.

Sublimation

Sublimation is the process where a substance transitions directly from a solid state to a gaseous state without passing through the liquid phase. This process involves a significant increase in the number of available microstates due to the increased freedom of the molecules, leading to an increase in entropy.

Separation Processes

Separation processes, such as the separation of salts from water, typically lead to a decrease in entropy because they create a more ordered arrangement of molecules compared to the homogeneous mixed state. This contrasts with mixing, which usually increases entropy by creating greater disorder.

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