Question re Entropy
 

I wrote an article on Entropy for people who never heard of it.

I had a response from an engineer who took exception to my second paragraph
below:

"Ice must have a tendency to melt because H2O molecules in ice crystals are
more orderly than in the form of water. Ice crystals tend to become
randomized by changing from orderly ice crystals to a more disorderly state
as a liquid.

Water must evaporate: A gaseous structure is lower in energy and more
randomized than a liquid state."

He claims that water in the gaseous form has a higher energy content than
water in the liquid state.

Can some real physicist shed some light on this question.

Thank you

--
Walter
[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
-

Question re Entropy
 

Dear Walter R.:

"Walter R." <[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]> wrote in message
news:CtvHf.6685$[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...].com...

I'm another danged engineer, so listen or not...

Consider a container with water in it. Seal the container. This
container is proof against any pressure.

If you remove enough heat from the container, the water will
freeze. This means that ice has less energy than water. The
energy necessary to overcome water's affinity for a particular
orientation wrt its neighbors is entirely lost, and it
crystalizes.

If you add enough heat to the container, the water will vaporize.
This means that steam has more energy than water. The energy
necessary to overcome water's affinity for itself is met, and it
becomes a gas.

Your statements about randomization are correct. You just had
the "sign wrong" on the transfer of energy.

David A. Smith

Question re Entropy
 

Thanks, David

--
Walter
[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
-
"N:dlzc D:aol T:com (dlzc)" <N: dlzc1 D:cox T:[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]> wrote in
message news:APvHf.32498$jR.31818@fed1read01...

Question re Entropy
 

"Walter R." <[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]> wrote in message
news:CtvHf.6685$[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...].com...

Totally skewed (to be polite). Consider the steady-state of the environment.
It's about the environment, not the state of water.