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 the substance? a) melting the solid
b) heating the liquid
c) heating the gas
d) heating the solid

The question is incomplete, the complete question is;

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 the substance? A ) melting the solid B ) heating the gas C ) vaporizing the liquid D ) heating the solid E ) heating the liquid

vaporizing the liquid

Explanation:

We generally define entropy in chemistry as the degree of disorderliness in a system. The entropy of gases is greater than that of liquids and the entropy of liquids is greater than that of solids. It then logically follows that the degree of entropy in gases is the greatest among all the states of matter while the entropy of solids is the least among all the states of matter since solid particles remain in their mean positions and can only vibrate or sometimes rotate. Liquid particles may translate while gaseous particles move at high velocity with negligible intermolecular forces of attraction between them.

A phase transition from liquid to gaseous state now represents the greatest change in the entropy of the system since gases posses the highest entropy among all the states of matter, hence the answer.