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Chemistry · Ch 4 — Chemical Thermodynamics

Sponaneity and ΔH or ΔS

4.11.7

Sponaneity and ΔH or ΔS

From ΔG=ΔH−T ΔS\Delta G = \Delta H - T\,\Delta S (at constant TT and PP), the temperature term determines the relative contributions of ΔH\Delta H and ΔS\Delta S to ΔG\Delta G:

  1. If ΔH\Delta H and ΔS\Delta S are both negative, then ΔG\Delta G will be negative only when ΔH\Delta H is more negative than TΔST\Delta S. This is possible at low temperatures only.

  2. If ΔH\Delta H and ΔS\Delta S are both positive, ΔG\Delta G will be negative only if TΔS>ΔHT\Delta S > \Delta H. This is possible only at high temperatures.

  3. For ΔH\Delta H negative and ΔS\Delta S positive, it follows that ΔG\Delta G is negative regardless of temperature.

  4. For ΔH\Delta H positive and ΔS\Delta S negative, ΔG\Delta G is positive regardless of temperature. Such reactions are nonspontaneous at all temperatures. …