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title: "A sample of liquid water at \\(0\\text{ }^\\circ\\text{C}\\) is placed inside a freezer and completely freezes into ice at \\(0\\text{ }^\\circ\\text{C}\\). Which of the following correctly describes the entropy change of the water and the total entropy change of the universe, and provides the correct physical justification?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/116133/"
date_modified: "2026-08-03T11:45:53+00:00"
---

# A sample of liquid water at \(0\text{ }^\circ\text{C}\) is placed inside a freezer and completely freezes into ice at \(0\text{ }^\circ\text{C}\). Which of the following correctly describes the entropy change of the water and the total entropy change of the universe, and provides the correct physical justification?

A sample of liquid water at \(0\text{ }^\circ\text{C}\) is placed inside a freezer and completely freezes into ice at \(0\text{ }^\circ\text{C}\). Which of the following correctly describes the entropy change of the water and the total entropy change of the universe, and provides the correct physical justification?

- **A.** The entropy of the water increases because its temperature remains constant during the phase change, and the total entropy of the universe remains unchanged.
- **B.** The entropy of the water decreases, and the total entropy of the universe decreases because energy in the form of heat is removed from the system.
- **C.** The entropy of the water increases because the crystalline structure stores potential energy, while the total entropy of the universe increases.
- **D.** The entropy of the water decreases because its molecules become more ordered, while the total entropy of the universe increases because heat released to the surroundings increases the entropy of the surroundings by a greater magnitude.

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/116133/*