13. How To Measure Disorder   Previous PageNext Page
       THIRD LAW ENTROPIES AND COMMON SENSE
Decomposition of N205

As a final example, let us examine the exception that showed the flaws in the principle of energy minimization alone.

The enormous entropy increase comes from the breaking up of crystalline N205 into gases. Heat is absorbed, disfavoring the reaction by 26.2 kcal. The entropy increase favors reaction by the amount.

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