Thermodynamic Favorability
- Gibbs free energy provides an effective way of focusing on a reaction system at constant temperature and pressure to determine whether the reaction is thermodynamically favorable
- A thermodynamically favorable reaction is one that occurs without the need for additional energy input after the reactants are mixed
- A thermodynamically favored reaction will have a negative ΔGo value
- For a reaction to be spontaneous, Gibbs free energy must be a negative value (ΔGo ≤ 0)
Exam Tip
Historically, a thermodynamically favorable reaction has been referred to as a spontaneous reaction.
Thermodynamically favored is the preferred term as it avoids the common misunderstanding that the reaction happens suddenly or without cause.