Standard Free Energy Change (ΔG°)

Definition

The standard free energy change (ΔG°) is a measure of the spontaneity or feasibility of a chemical reaction under standard conditions. It represents the difference in free energy between the products and reactants at equilibrium.

Related terms

Entropy (S): Entropy refers to the degree of disorder or randomness in a system. In relation to ΔG°, if there is an increase in entropy during a reaction, it may contribute to a more negative value for ΔG°.

Enthalpy (H): Enthalpy represents the heat content or energy exchange during a chemical reaction. When combined with entropy, enthalpy contributes to determining ΔG° through Gibbs free energy equation.

Activation Energy (Ea): Activation energy refers to the minimum amount of energy required for reactant molecules to transform into product molecules. It influences both how fast reactions proceed and whether they are feasible by affecting ΔG° indirectly via transition state theory.