Question

Why does water freezing not violate the second law of thermodynamics?

Answer 1

The second law of thermodynamics:

1. The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that the total amount of disorder, or entropy, in the universe is increasing.

Why does water freezing not violate the second law of thermodynamics?

1. The terms "ordered" and "disordered" have different meanings in the context of entropy; ordered refers to molecules being segregated into different places, whereas disordered refers to molecules being uniformly spread.
2. When molecules are evenly distributed, there is no longer any energy or force holding them apart, which is the state of entropy.
3. When water and ice are solid (frozen), the molecules are actually more equally dispersed because the water develops a crystalline structure.
4. In a liquid, the distribution of molecules is denser, though it may not be consistent.
5. In the context of entropy, "ordered" does not imply "structured."
6. Ice has a crystalline structure because the molecules move at a rate that allows the electrochemical bonds to hold them in place.

Hence, the reason behind the water freezing does not violate the second law of thermodynamics are mentioned above.