Question

Which reaction is most likely to have a positive ∆Ssys?

-SiO2(s) +3 C(s) → SiC(s) + 2CO(g)
-CO(g) + Cl2(g) → COCl2(g)
-6CO2(g) + 6H2O(g )→ C6H12O6(s) + 6O2(g)
-3NO2(g) + H2O(l) → 2HNO3(l) + NO(g)

Answer 1

The reaction SiO2(s) + 3 C(s) → SiC(s) + 2CO(g) is most likely to have a positive entropy change (∆Ssys) because it results in an increase in the number of gas molecules which contributes to more disorder in the system.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question relates to the prediction of which reaction is most likely to have a positive change in entropy, ∆Ssys. Entropy is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. A reaction that results in an increase in the number of gas molecules generally leads to a positive ∆Ssys, as gases have more disorder than solids or liquids.

Among the given reactions, SiO2(s) + 3 C(s) → SiC(s) + 2CO(g) is most likely to have a positive ∆Ssys because it involves the production of gases from solids resulting in an increase in disorder of the system.