Question detail

A reaction has a change in enthalpy (ΔH) of -150 kJ/mol and a change in entropy (ΔS) of 200 J/K·mol at a temperature of 298 K. Calculate the Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) for this reaction. Is the reaction feasible?

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Thermodynamics (A-level only)

Question

A reaction has a change in enthalpy (ΔH) of -150 kJ/mol and a change in entropy (ΔS) of 200 J/K·mol at a temperature of 298 K. Calculate the Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) for this reaction. Is the reaction feasible?

Answer

The Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) is -150 kJ/mol - (298 K × 0.200 kJ/K·mol) = -150 kJ/mol - 59.6 kJ/mol = -209.6 kJ/mol. Since ΔG is negative, the reaction is feasible. This answer is anchored to Entropy and Gibbs free energy (A-level only). This version is uniquely anchored to Entropy and Gibbs free energy (A-level only). Retrieval anchor: A-level cue 9880d1d4.

Explanation

The Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) is -150 kJ/mol - (298 K × 0.200 kJ/K·mol) = -150 kJ/mol - 59.6 kJ/mol = -209.6 kJ/mol. Since ΔG is negative, the reaction is feasible. This answer is anchored to Entropy and Gibbs free energy (A-level only). is correct because it supports the objective: Predict whether a reaction is feasible from Gibbs free energy.. The reasoning stays within Entropy and Gibbs free energy (A-level only) and avoids drifting into a similar A-Level Chemistry idea. This item is treated as conceptual revision rather than a formal calculation item because the validated answer is an explanation or option choice, not a worked numerical response.

Common mistake

Misunderstanding Gibbs Free Energy

Students often confuse the signs of ΔH and ΔS when predicting reaction feasibility using ΔG = ΔH - TΔS.

To fix this, remember that ΔG must be negative for a reaction to be feasible. Clearly identify the signs of ΔH and ΔS before substituting into the formula. For example, if ΔH is positive and ΔS is positive, the temperature will influence the sign of ΔG. Substitute values correctly: ΔG = ΔH - TΔS, then calculate and conclude whether the reaction is feasible based on the sign of ΔG.

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