The thermodynamic entropy of a macroscopic sample of a certain substance precisely increases by upon — Thermodynamics and Thermochemistry Chemistry Question
Question
The thermodynamic entropy of a macroscopic sample of a certain substance precisely increases by $0.836 \text{ J K}^{-1}$ upon the reversible, perfectly isothermal addition of $0.3344 \text{ J}$ of heat from a bath. Calculate the constant absolute temperature of the sample in Kelvin.
💡 Solution & Explanation
The fundamental thermodynamic definition of entropy change for an entirely reversible isothermal process is $\Delta S = \frac{q_{rev}}{T}$. Rearranging this core equation algebraically to solve for absolute temperature yields $T = \frac{q_{rev}}{\Delta S}$. Substituting the explicit given values: $T = \frac{0.3344 \text{ J}}{0.836 \text{ J K}^{-1}} = 0.4 \text{ K}$.