Question detail

In which scenario would you expect the entropy of a system to increase?

Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.

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At a glance

MCQ

Type

practice

Style

Topic

Thermodynamics (A-level only)

Question

A. A solid melting into a liquid
B. A gas condensing into a liquid
C. A liquid freezing into a solid
D. A gas being compressed

Answer

A solid melting into a liquid

Explanation

The correct option is A solid melting into a liquid. A solid melting into a liquid is the best answer because it directly supports the AQA A-Level Chemistry objective to explain entropy as a measure of dispersal of energy or disorder. This reasoning is anchored to Entropy and Gibbs free energy (A-level only) in Thermodynamics (A-level only), and it separates entropy from similar A-Level ideas rather than relying on a vague recall statement. Other options are weaker if they use the wrong evidence, calculation, mechanism, observation, unit, or conclusion for this subtopic.

Common mistake

Misunderstanding Entropy

Students often confuse entropy with energy, thinking it measures energy rather than the dispersal of energy or disorder in a system.

Entropy (S) is defined as a measure of the dispersal of energy or disorder. To clarify, remember that higher entropy indicates greater disorder and energy dispersal in a system, while lower entropy indicates more order. For example, in a solid, particles are closely packed and have low entropy, whereas in a gas, particles are far apart and have high entropy.

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