Consider a pure crystalline solid that is heated from absolute zero to a temperature above the boiling point of the liquid. which of the following processes produces the greatest increase in the entropy of a substance?

a) melting the solid
b) heating the liquid
c) heating the gas
d) heating the solid
e) vaporizing the liquid

Option E) vaporizing the liquid.

Explanation:

Entropy is a measure of the disorder or randomness of a system.The solid, liquid and gas state are characterized by the degree of freedom of their particles. The particles in the solid state are commonly arranged in fixed positions formins structures called crystals. So, they are the most ordered structures.In the liquids, compared with solids, the particles gain some motion, so they are not as much ordered, but yet they are enough attached to neighbor particles as to keep a fixed volume.The particles in gases are in constant, rapid and random motion, which means that they have the greatest level of disorder, compared to liquids and solids. That is why gases have not a fixed voiume but take the shape and form of the vessel that contains them.

Hence, you conclude that, among the choices, when a pure crystalline solid that is heated from absolute zero to a temperature above the boiling point of the liquid, the process of vaporizing (converting into gas) a liquid produces the greatest increase in the entropy of a substance.