Entropy is a a.) path function, intensive property b.) path function, extensive property c.) state function, intensive property d.) state function, extensive property d.) None of these
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is d.) state function, extensive property.
Explanation:
Entropy is a thermodynamic property that measures the degree of disorder or randomness in a system. It has two key characteristics that help determine whether it is a state or path function and whether it is an intensive or extensive property.
State Function:
Entropy is a state function because its value depends only on the state of the system, not on how the system reached that state. This means that if a system starts in one state and ends in another, the change in entropy between these states is the same regardless of the path taken. The path taken does not affect the final entropy value, making it a state function.
Extensive Property:
Entropy is also an extensive property because its value depends on the size or amount of material in the system. Extensive properties are those that scale with the size or extent of the system. For example, in a larger system, entropy will be higher because there are more particles and potential microstates. If two systems with entropy values are combined, the total entropy will be the sum of the individual entropies.
In contrast, intensive properties do not depend on the size or amount of the substance. Examples include temperature and pressure, which are the same regardless of the amount of material in the system.
In summary, entropy is a state function because it depends only on the state of the system and not on the path taken to reach that state, and it is an extensive property because it scales with the size or amount of the system.