Free Energy, Entropy, Thermodynamic Equilibrium
Entropy, free energy and thermodynamic equilibrium Entropy, Free Energy and Thermodynamic Equilibrium Chemical reactions are performed by mixing the reactants and regulating external conditions such as temperature and pressure . Two basic questions though arise: Is it possible for the reaction to occur at the selected conditions? If the reaction proceeds, what determines the ratio of products and reactants at equilibrium? Both questions are answered by chemical thermodynamics : Thermodynamics can tell us whether a proposed reaction is spontaneous (possible) under particular conditions even before the actual experiment. Thermodynamics can also predict the ratio of products and reactants at equilibrium provided that the reaction is spontaneous . Note: Thermodynamics cannot answer though how fast a reaction will proceed. After many years of observation scientists concluded that the characteristic common to all spontaneous...