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  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2003  > December  >
In the Classroom
Entropy: The Effects of Distinguishability
J. N. Spencer
Department of Chemistry, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA 17604

John P. Lowe
Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802

Cover
December 2003
Vol. 80 No. 12
p. 1417
Abstract
The effects of distinguishability on entropy changes are important but often unrecognized except in obvious situations such as Gibbs' paradox. Distinguishability effects are explored, and a new term, "cohort', is defined and used to provide a clearer understanding of the factors that contribute to entropy changes. Although entropy change is independent of choice of path, the explanation for the entropy change does depend on the process selected to get from the initial to the final state. Certain processes for which nothing appears to happen are shown to involve a subtle cancellation of factors at the microscopic level. Entropy of mixing is demonstrated to be a misleading term. The role of distinguishability in the entropy change produced in the mixing of liquids is discussed.
More Information
*  Citation
 Spencer, J. N.; Lowe, John P. J. Chem. Educ. 2003 80 1417.
*  Keywords
 Gases; Physical Chemistry; Solutions / Solvents; Statistical Mechanics; Teaching / Learning Aids; Thermodynamics
*  History
 Created:
Last Updated:		 October 31, 2003
February 28, 2005
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