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Chemomechanics t1_jd5cot7 wrote

Reply to comment by LoyalSol in Can a single atom be determined to be in any particular phase of matter? by Zalack

Sorry, I don’t see how this helps the OP. It sounds like you’re talking about looking at the behavior and any transitions over a very long time rather than relying on the ergodic hypothesis and stat mech assumptions based on large N. OK, so now you’ve calculated what you consider the entropy. I don’t get how this allows the OP to classify the atom as a bulk solid, liquid, or gas when it’s a lone aqueous atom.

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LoyalSol t1_jd5zils wrote

I made the point about time to show how you can prove the entropy exists in the absence of large N. It is not exclusive to that however.

I was not making a point about the OP question as much as clearing up a statement that entropy is a strictly bulk property when it isn't. Unlike many thermodynamic definitions entropy is actually defined the same way on both a macro and micro scale.

Thus why I called it a nitpick.

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