ree Energy and Chemical Equilibrium Why? The free energy change for a chemical reaction depends on the temperature concentrations of the reactants and the products. You, like chemists in and the research and manufacturing, can use the free energy change to identify suitable temperatures for reactions, to determine the direction a reaction will go to reu equilibrium, and to obtain values for equilibrium constants and equibrium ch concentrations. Learning Objectives Understand the relationship between the free energy change and the reaction quotient expression. Identify the effect of temperature on the free energy change and on equilibrium constants Success Criteria the free energy change for a reaction at various temperatures and various concentrations of reactants and products. Identify the direction a reaction will proceed spontaneously. Calculate one or more of ÎGo ,aHo, aso, and K given the others. Resources Olmsted and Williams Prerequisites Chemistry 3/e, Wiley, 2002) pp. 615 - 625, 721-729. emical equilibrium, spontaneous processes and free energy change, standard free energy change, reaction quotient, equilibrium constant Information ard The free energy change in a chemical reaction, DG, is related to the stand free energy change, AGe, and the concentrations of reactants and products by the following equation. AG, AGT+RT In(Q) 4Gy and Î = free energy change and standard free energy change at temperature T Q reaction quotient R ideal gas constant T temperature in K When reactants and products are in their standard states, their concentrations are 1 in the free energy when concentrations are 1 M is just the standard free energy change M, then Q is 1, In(Q1-1n(1) = 0, and ÎG = ÎGo. The change An increase in the entropy of the universe or a decrease in the free energy of the system is the driving force behind a spontaneous change. Concentrations in a chemical reaction change spontaneously to lower the free energy. Equilibrium is reached in a chemical because the free energy The freee reaction when the free energy can no longer decrease of the reactants equals the free energy of the products. for the reaction, aG, then is 0, Using Q = K at ã1/2005 all rights reserved 57
