Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Gibbs Free Energy (G) is a thermodynamic potential that measures the maximum reversible work that a system can perform at constant temperature and pressure.
This is the branch of physics that deals with heat and temperature and their relation to energy and work. It's like understanding how your car engine works using gasoline (energy source), combustion (work), and coolant (temperature control).