Physics II / Phase Transitions and Critical Phenomena
Practice question · Numerical answer

A substance has a latent heat of vaporisation of 40 kJ/mol and boils at 350 K. Compute its entropy of vaporisation in J/mol/K, to the nearest whole number.

Hints
  1. At the transition the two phases are in equilibrium, so the entropy change is the latent heat over the temperature.
  2. Compute 40000 / 350.
Show the answer

114 (answers within ±2 count)

Why

ΔS=L/T=40,000/350=114\Delta S = L/T = 40{,}000/350 = 114 J/mol/K. Most liquids cluster near 88 (Trouton’s rule); a markedly higher value signals strong association in the liquid, such as hydrogen bonding.

Read the lesson: Phase Transitions and Critical Phenomena →

Practise Phase Transitions and Critical Phenomena

The app has 5 more questions on this lesson, and keeps your place in the course. Physics II is free to start.

More questions on Phase Transitions and Critical Phenomena