Which system has the greater entropy, a puddle of water sitting on a table next to a chaotic scattering of salt crystals or the same amount of salt dissolved in an evenly distributed way in the puddle? Be prepared to describe your reasoning.
A) The puddle and the scattered crystals.
B) The puddle with the dissolved salt.
C) Both have the same entropy.
D) One needs detailed models of water and salt to say.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The system with the salt dissolved in the puddle has greater entropy because the salt ions are more dispersed and there are more possible microstates for the system. When the salt is dissolved, the mixture is more homogeneous and the distribution of particles is more random, leading to higher entropy.

Which System Has the Greater Entropy, a Puddle of Water