Gibbs energy chemical reaction equilibrium

Quantity K is the chemical reaction equilibrium constant for reactionyj and AG° is the corresponding standard Gibbs energy change of reaction (eq. 237). Although called a constant, fC is a function of T, but only of T. 

When the kinetics are unknown, still-useful information can be obtained by finding equilibrium compositions at fixed temperature or adiabatically, or at some specified approach to the adiabatic temperature, say within 25°C (45°F) of it. Such calculations require only an input of the components of the feed and produc ts and their thermodynamic properties, not their stoichiometric relations, and are based on Gibbs energy minimization. Computer programs appear, for instance, in Smith and Missen Chemical Reaction Equilibrium Analysis Theory and Algorithms, Wiley, 1982), but the problem often is laborious enough to warrant use of one of the several available commercial services and their data banks. Several simpler cases with specified stoichiometries are solved by Walas Phase Equilibiia in Chemical Engineering, Butterworths, 1985). 

Heidemann (12) observes that "the chemical reaction equilibrium problem in a homogeneous phase is knoym to have an unique solution except when the thermodynamic model of the phase can exhibit diffusional instability." Hence, for chemical equilibrium in a single phase, local minima in Gibbs free energy do not occur and the search is simplified. 

Calculation of equilibrium conversions is based on the fundamental equations of chemical-reaction equilibrium, which in application require data for the standard Gibbs energy of reaction. The basic equations are developed in Secs. 15.1 through 15.4. These provide the relationship between the standard Gibbs energy change of reaction and the equilibrium constant. Evaluation of the equilibrium constant from thermodynamic data is considered in Sec. 15.5. Application of this information to the calculation of equilibrium conversions for single reactions is taken up in Sec. 15.7. In Sec. 15.8, the phase role is reconsidered finally, multireaction equilibrium is treated in Sec. I5.9.t... 

Thus the quantity Vtfi, represents, in general, the rate of change of the total Gibbs energy of the system with the reaction coordinate at constant T and P. Figure 15.1 shows that this quantity is zero at the equilibrium state. Therefore a criterion of chemical-reaction equilibrium is... 

Use has here been made in steps 2 through 4 of the fact that there is no change in the Gibbs energy for processes carried out under conditions of membrane and chemical-reaction equilibrium. This explains why the value of AG° is related directly to the ratios of the equilibrium-state and standard-state fugacities (ft = 1). 

In thermodynamics courses, you have learned that chemical reaction equilibrium is determined by the equilibrium constant, which is defined in terms of the change of Gibbs free energy. 

The chemical potential, in terms of the Gibbs free energy, r resents the basic property for phase and/or chemical reaction equilibrium calculations. 

Say we have a system in which the species undergo chemical reaction by rearranging their bonds to minimize the total Gibbs energy and obtain equilibrium. While we have identified the significant species at play and their phases, we do not know what the reaction mechanism is. In fact, there may be many simultaneous reactions that describe these molecular rearrangements. We may be concerned with questions about how to set up the chemical reaction equilibrium problem, such as What equations should I use to describe the reactions and How do I know if I have included enough reactions ... 

The most important themiodynamic property of a substance is the standard Gibbs energy of fomiation as a fimetion of temperature as this infomiation allows equilibrium constants for chemical reactions to be calculated. The standard Gibbs energy of fomiation A G° at 298.15 K can be derived from the enthalpy of fomiation AfT° at 298.15 K and the standard entropy AS° at 298.15 K from... 

Having calculated the standai d values AyW and S" foi the participants in a chemical reaction, the obvious next step is to calculate the standard Gibbs free energy change of reaction A G and the equilibrium constant from... 

The chemical potential pi plays a vital role in both phase and chemical-reaction equilibria. However, the chemical potential exhibits certain unfortunate characteristics which discourage its use in the solution of practical problems. The Gibbs energy, and hence pi, is defined in relation to the internal energy and entropy, both primitive quantities for which absolute values are unknown. Moreover, pi approaches negative infinity when either P or Xi approaches zero. While these characteristics do not preclude the use of chemical potentials, the application of equilibrium criteria is facilitated by introduction of the fugacity, a quantity that takes the place of p. but which does not exhibit its less desirable characteristics. 

The standard Gibbs-energy change of reaction AG° is used in the calculation of equilibrium compositions. The standard heat of reaclion AH° is used in the calculation of the heat effects of chemical reaction, and the standard heat-capacity change of reaction is used for extrapolating AH° and AG° with T. Numerical values for AH° and AG° are computed from tabulated formation data, and AC° is determined from empirical expressions for the T dependence of the C° (see, e.g., Eq. [4-142]). 

A more general, and for the moment, less detailed description of the progress of chemical reactions, was developed in the transition state theory of kinetics. This approach considers tire reacting molecules at the point of collision to form a complex intermediate molecule before the final products are formed. This molecular species is assumed to be in thermodynamic equilibrium with the reactant species. An equilibrium constant can therefore be described for the activation process, and this, in turn, can be related to a Gibbs energy of activation ... 

Why Do We Need to Know This Material The second law of thermodynamics is the key to understanding why one chemical reaction has a natural tendency to occur bur another one does not. We apply the second law by using the very important concepts of entropy and Gibbs free energy. The third law of thermodynamics is the basis of the numerical values of these two quantities. The second and third laws jointly provide a way to predict the effects of changes in temperature and pressure on physical and chemical processes. They also lay the thermodynamic foundations for discussing chemical equilibrium, which the following chapters explore in detail. 

The decrease in Gibbs free energy as a signpost of spontaneous change and AG = 0 as a criterion of equilibrium are applicable to any kind of process, provided that it is occurring at constant temperature and pressure. Because chemical reactions are our principal interest in chemistry, we now concentrate on them and look for a way to calculate AG for a reaction. 

What Do We Need to Know Already The concepts of chemical equilibrium are related to those of physical equilibrium (Sections 8.1-8.3). Because chemical equilibrium depends on the thermodynamics of chemical reactions, we need to know about the Gibbs free energy of reaction (Section 7.13) and standard enthalpies of formation (Section 6.18). Ghemical equilibrium calculations require a thorough knowledge of molar concentration (Section G), reaction stoichiometry (Section L), and the gas laws (Ghapter 4). 

The open cell discussed was considered as an equilibrium cell since equilibrium was established across each individual interface. However, the cell as a whole is not in equilibrium the overall Gibbs energy of the full reaction is not zero, and when the circuit is closed, an electric current flows that is attended by chemical changes (i.e., a spontaneous process sets in). 

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