A thermally insulated chamber is divided by a partition into two compartments of equal volume. The left side contains \(9.00 \times 10^{23}\) helium atoms, and the right side contains \(2.70 \times 10^{24}\) argon atoms. The gases in both compartments are in equilibrium and at the same temperature. A small hole develops in the partition so that after a long time interval both gases leak through the hole and eventually the system comes to a new equilibrium state.

(a) What is the difference in entropy between the two equilibrium states? Which state, if either, has the greater entropy?

(b) What is the change in the thermal energy of the gases during this process? Assume ideal behavior for all atoms.