Distinguishability in Entropy Calculations: Chemical Reactions, Conformational and Residual Entropy

Entropy

关键词: particle distinguishability;    chemical reactions;    conformational entropy;    residual entropy;    Gibbs paradox;   

DOI  :  10.3390/e13081533

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

By analyzing different examples of practical entropy calculations and using concepts such as conformational and residual entropies, I show herein that experimental calorimetric entropies of single molecules can be theoretically reproduced considering chemically identical atoms either as distinguishable or indistinguishable particles. The broadly used correction in entropy calculations due to the symmetry number and particle indistinguishability is not mandatory, as an ad hoc correction, to obtain accurate values of absolute and relative entropies. It is shown that, for any chemical reaction of any kind, considering distinguishability or indistinguishability among identical atoms is irrelevant as long as we act consistently in the calculation of all the required entropy contributions.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2011 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.