Gibbs free energy
Gibbs free energy, named after American scientist Josiah Willard Gibbs, is a thermodynamic potential function used to determine the maximum amount of reversible work that a system can perform at a constant temperature and pressure. It combines both enthalpy and entropy, and provides insights into the spontaneity of a chemical or physical process.
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It combines both enthalpy and entropy, and provides insights into the spontaneity of a chemical or physical process. The Gibbs free energy is defined as the difference between the enthalpy and the product of the temperature and entropy of a system. In an isolated system, the Gibbs free energy decreases during a spontaneous process, indicating the release of energy to do useful work. The determination of Gibbs free energy is crucial in various fields, including chemistry, physics, and biology, as it allows predictions about the feasibility and direction of reactions or transformations. This Wikipedia page provides a comprehensive overview of the concept, its mathematical formulation, applications, and relevance in different fields of science. It also discusses related topics such as the Gibbs free energy equation and its relationship with equilibrium constants.