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What is the significance of the second law of thermodynamics in the spontaneity of exothermic and endothermic reactions? |
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Answer» The second law of thermodynamics provides explanation for the spontaneity of chemical reactions. In exothermic reactions heat released by the reaction increases the disorder of the surroundings and overall 1 entropy change is positive which makes the reaction spontaneous. In the case of endothermic reactions, since heat is ‘ absorbed by the system from the surroundings, the entropy change of the surroundings becomes negative (∆Ssurr < 0). In this case the process will be spontaneous only if the entropy change of the reacting system is positive (∆Ssys > 0) and is also greater than ∆Ssurr in magnitude so that the overall entropy change (∆Stotal) is positive. |
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