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The HAT mechanism is expected to be:

A. spontaneous at low temperatures and nonspontaneous at high temperatures.
B. nonspontaneous at both low and high temperatures.
C. nonspontaneous at low temperatures and spontaneous at high temperatures.
D. spontaneous at both low and high temperatures.

User Joshuaaron
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The HAT mechanism is spontaneous at low temperatures and nonspontaneous at high temperatures due to negative changes in both ΔH and ΔS, as temperature affects the ΔG value. Thus, answer A is correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question is regarding the temperature dependence of spontaneity in chemical reactions, specifically related to the enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy (ΔS) changes. The Gibbs free energy equation ΔG = ΔH - TΔS provides insight into whether a reaction is spontaneous (ΔG < 0) or nonspontaneous (ΔG > 0). A spontaneous reaction at low temperatures and nonspontaneous at high temperatures suggest that ΔH is negative and ΔS is also negative. As temperature increases, the negative TΔS term eventually outweighs the ΔH term leading to a positive ΔG, hence nonspontaneity at high temperatures.

Therefore, the HAT mechanism, without further context suggesting otherwise, seems to be spontaneous at low temperatures and nonspontaneous at high temperatures, corresponding to choice A.

User Janneman
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