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Ch.18 - Free Energy and Thermodynamics
Chapter 18, Problem 89c

Consider this reaction occurring at 298 K: N2O(g) + NO2(g) ⇌ 3 NO(g) c. Can the reaction be made more spontaneous by an increase or decrease in temperature? If so, what temperature is required to make the reaction spontaneous under standard conditions?

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Gibbs Free Energy

Gibbs Free Energy (G) is a thermodynamic potential that helps predict the spontaneity of a reaction at constant temperature and pressure. A reaction is spontaneous if the change in Gibbs Free Energy (ΔG) is negative. The relationship between ΔG, enthalpy (ΔH), and entropy (ΔS) is given by the equation ΔG = ΔH - TΔS, where T is the temperature in Kelvin.
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Entropy and Enthalpy

Entropy (S) is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system, while enthalpy (H) is a measure of the total energy of a system, including internal energy and the energy required to make room for it. For a reaction to be spontaneous, the increase in entropy must outweigh the enthalpy changes, particularly at higher temperatures, where the TΔS term becomes significant in the Gibbs Free Energy equation.
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Temperature's Effect on Spontaneity

The temperature of a system can significantly influence the spontaneity of a reaction. If a reaction has a positive ΔS (increase in entropy), increasing the temperature can make the reaction more spontaneous by lowering ΔG. Conversely, if ΔH is positive (endothermic reaction), a higher temperature may be required to achieve a negative ΔG, thus making the reaction spontaneous under standard conditions.
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Related Practice
Open Question

H2 reacts with the halogens (X2) according to the reaction: H2(g) + X2(g) → 2 HX(g) where X2 can be Cl2, Br2, or I2. Use the thermodynamic data in Appendix IIB to calculate ΔH°, ΔS°, ΔG°, and Kp for the reaction between hydrogen and each of the three halogens. Which reaction is most spontaneous? Least spontaneous? What is the main factor responsible for the difference in the spontaneity of the three reactions? Does higher temperature make the reactions more spontaneous or less spontaneous?

Textbook Question

Consider this reaction occurring at 298 K: N2O(g) + NO2(g) ⇌ 3 NO(g) a. Show that the reaction is not spontaneous under standard conditions by calculating ΔG°rxn.

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Textbook Question

Consider this reaction occurring at 298 K: N2O(g) + NO2(g) ⇌ 3 NO(g) b. If a reaction mixture contains only N2O and NO2 at partial pressures of 1.0 atm each, the reaction will be spontaneous until some NO forms in the mixture. What maximum partial pressure of NO builds up before the reaction ceases to be spontaneous?

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Textbook Question

Consider this reaction occurring at 298 K: BaCO3(s) ⇌ BaO(s) + CO2(g) a. Show that the reaction is not spontaneous under standard conditions by calculating ΔG°rxn.

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Textbook Question

Consider this reaction occurring at 298 K: BaCO3(s) ⇌ BaO(s) + CO2( g) b. If BaCO3 is placed in an evacuated flask, what is the partial pressure of CO2 when the reaction reaches equilibrium?

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Textbook Question

Consider this reaction occurring at 298 K: BaCO3(s) ⇌ BaO(s) + CO2(g) c. Can the reaction be made more spontaneous by an increase or decrease in temperature? If so, at what temperature is the partial pressure of carbon dioxide 1.0 atm?

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