Ice Melts Spontaneously at Room Temperature, Even Though the Process

question 11

Multiple Choice

Ice melts spontaneously at room temperature, even though the process is endothermic. How is this possible?

• A) There is a large increase in entropy.
• B) OH is small, so melting still obeys the second law of thermodynamics.
• C) The Gibbs free- energy relationship does not apply to phase changes such as melting.
• D) There is an increase in free energy when ice melts.

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Definitions:

Vestibule

An entrance or enclosed area at the front of a building, or, in anatomy, a space or cavity at the entrance of some structures.

Cochlea

A spiral-shaped cavity in the inner ear, essential for converting sound waves into electrical signals for the brain to interpret as sound.

Auditory Ossicles

The three small bones in the middle ear called the malleus, incus, and stapes, which transmit sound vibrations to the inner ear.

Tympanic Membrane

The tympanic membrane, commonly known as the eardrum, is a thin membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear and vibrates in response to sound waves.