Which thermodynamic function favours the process of crystallization ?

Dear Student,

Please find below the solution to the asked query.

Entropy should be the thermodynamic function that favours the process of crystallization. On heating a particular solid crystal, it melts and at some sharply defined temperature, the perfectly shaped crystal collapses to a liquid. Melting occurs because the entropy gain in the system by spatial randomization of the molecules overcomes the enthalpy loss due to breaking the crystal packing forces. Similarly, on cooling back the melt, at the very same temperature the molecules should stick back into the very same crystalline form. The entropy decrease due to the ordering of molecules within the system is overcompensated by the thermal randomization of the surroundings and due to the release of the heat of fusion, the entropy of the universe increases.

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Akanksha Jain

 

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