Question

A reaction is spontaneous if ΔG is ___?
negative, positive, or zero?

Answer 1

A reaction is spontaneous if ΔG is negative.

Step-by-step explanation:

• The change in free energy (ΔG) is the difference between the heat released during a process and the heat released for the same process occurring in a reversible manner.

• The sign of ΔG gives an indication for the spontaneity of the reaction:

If ΔG is negative, the reaction is spontaneous.

If ΔG = zero, the reaction is at equilibrium.

If ΔG is positive, the reaction is non-spontaneous.