Final answer:
The chemical potential of supercooled water is higher than that of ice at the same temperature because the supercooled liquid contains more energy, reflecting a potential contribution to latent heat during phase change.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks about the difference in the chemical potential of water at a supercooled temperature of – 5.0 °C compared to the chemical potential of ice at the same temperature.
Chemical potential is a concept in thermodynamics representing the potential energy of a species in a mixture and is relevant when discussing phase changes such as melting and freezing. To calculate the precise difference in chemical potential, we would generally need detailed experimental data or use of thermodynamic equations with parameters specific to the substances and conditions in question.
However, qualitative understanding is also useful. Typically, the chemical potential of a supercooled liquid (water in this case) is higher than that of its solid form (ice) at the same temperature, because the supercooled liquid is in a metastable state and contains more energy. This extra energy would contribute to the latent heat needed to change phase if the supercooled water were to freeze. Such thermodynamic properties are exemplified by changes in enthalpies or Gibbs free energy associated with melting or freezing processes.