Free Energy and Spontaneity
Free Energy and Spontaneity of Systems
Every process that occurs all around us can be divided into
two sections: spontaneous and non-spontaneous. There have been many theories to
describe the spontaneity of a system and the dependence of the system
spontaneity on a certain variable. Such variables are being the change of
enthalpy of the system (ΔH), the change of entropy of the system (ΔS) and
finally the explanation was given by regarding about the ‘free energy’.
Everything in the universe is made out of the inter-conversion
of energy and mass. Energies are concentrated in masses. If we observe a
chemical reaction we can see that there is some amount of energy trapped as
‘the bond energy’. When we break a bond or make a bond or when the system does
work or work is done on the system we can observe the evolution of some energy
or loss of some energy regarding these processes.
‘Free energy’ means that the energy is not bound anymore.
It’s free and cannot be converted into work. Every system tends to convert all
of the energy into work. We also want to use all the energy of the system
excluding energy waste. The target is 100% efficiency but we can’t attain it
because there is always some amount of free energy change. But the less there
is free energy, the more the given energies have been used.
That’s why every system tends to move such a pathway that will ultimately decrease the amount of free energy the system contains and the value of ΔG is negative in the case of spontaneous processes. It explains all the relation between the spontaneity of a process and the change of free energy.
That’s why every system tends to move such a pathway that will ultimately decrease the amount of free energy the system contains and the value of ΔG is negative in the case of spontaneous processes. It explains all the relation between the spontaneity of a process and the change of free energy.
