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Author Question: oil from water (Read 590 times)

IAPPLET

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on: Aug 30, 2015
The spontaneous separation of oil from water seems to involve the generation of order; explain why it is an entropy-driven reaction.


Celeste

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  • Posts: 588
Reply #1 on: Sep 1, 2015
This occurs as a result of repulsion of forces. I have a perfect slide that outlines exactly why this is.

Oil molecules are nonpolar, which cannot form H-bond with water.

Water molecules around oil droplets must rearrange H-bonds to form a cage-like structure.  Their orientations and movements are much restricted and so they have low entropy. The larger the oil-water interface, the lower the entropy. To maximize entropy, oil-water interface must be minimized, supporting spontaneous separation.

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