Which of the following processes are spontaneous? Give an example of each spontaneous process. (a) an exothermic process that increases entropy in a setting with a low temperature (b) an exothermic process that decreases entropy in a setting with a high temperature (c) an endothermic process that increases entropy in a setting with a high temperature (d) an endothermic process that decreases entropy in a setting with a low temperature

A) This can be spontaneous. An example of a spontaneous exothermic process that increases entropy in a setting with a low temperature would be the combustion of wood in the winter. b) Exothermic process that decreases entropy in a setting with a high temperature are not generally spontaneous. (c) This can be spontaneous. An example of an endothermic reaction that results in an increase in entropy in a setting with a high temperature is evaporating water on a hot day. The water releases the trapped thermal energy as a result of a phase change, which decreases the entropy of the system. (d) There are no endothermic processes that decrease entropy at low temperatures. These reactions are nonspontaneous.