Question

Predict whether the changes in enthalpy, entropy, and free energy will be positive or negative for the melting of ice, and explain your predictions. How does temperature affect the spontaneity of this process?

Answer 1

  Melting of ice is an endothermic process, meaning that energy is absorbed. When ice spontaneously melts, ΔH (change in enthalpy) is "positive". ΔS (entropy change) is also positive, because, becoming a liquid, water molecules lose their fixed position in the ice crystal, and become more disorganized. ΔG (free energy of reaction) is negative when a reaction proceeds spontaneously, as it happens in this case. Ice spontaneously melts at temperatures higher than 0°C. However, liquid water also spontaneously freezes at temperatures below 0°C. Therefore the temperature is instrumental in determining which "melting" of ice, or "freezing" of water becomes spontaneous. The whole process is summarized in the Gibbs free energy equation: 
ΔG = ΔH – TΔS