Section 6.4- Spontaneity and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

Question 1

systems tend to increase their stability by going to _______________ potential energy states

Answer 1

lower

Question 2

highly exothermic reactions tend to be ____________, which means thay are able to occur without continuing outside help

Answer 2

spontaneous

Question 3

a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system

Answer 3

entropy (S)

Question 4

states that the entropy (disorder) of the universe is always increasing

Answer 4

second law of thermodynamics

Question 5

the second law of thermodynamics allows us to predict that processes for which the change in entropy is positive tend to be ______________-

Answer 5

spontaneous

Question 6

the tendency in nature is to go toward minimum energy and maximum disorder; that is, enthalpy tends to __________ and entropy tends to _____________

Answer 6

enthalpy= decreases
entropy= increases

Question 7

a thermodynamic state function that includes the effects of both enthalpy and entropy

Answer 7

Gibbs free energy (G)

Question 8

Gibbs free energy equation

Answer 8

G = H - TS

Question 9

Gibbs free energy is a _____________ so we cannot measure the energy itself but the change in energy

Answer 9

state function

Question 10

the equation to use for Gibbs free energy

Answer 10

delta G= delta H - (T x delta S)

Question 11

from the __________________________, it can be mathematically shown that a process at constant temperature and pressure is spontaneous as written if and only if delta G is negative

Answer 11

second law of thermodynamics

Question 12

at low temperature s, __________ is more important term; at higher temperatures, _____________ becomes more important

Answer 12

lower= enthalpy
higher= entropy