What Is the Correct Symbol for Gibbs' Energy Under Standard Conditions?

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The discussion centers on the notation and definitions of chemical potentials and Gibbs free energy changes under standard conditions. It highlights the confusion surrounding the use of symbols like ΔGΘ and ΔGO, questioning whether they should denote the same standard conditions of 298.15 K and 1 bar pressure. The relationship between ΔG, ΔH, and ΔS is clarified, emphasizing that ΔG° is defined at standard conditions but is temperature-dependent. The participants agree that while K=1 at standard state, this does not imply equilibrium, as ΔG can still vary. Ultimately, the conversation underscores the complexities of thermodynamic definitions and the importance of context in their application.
Big-Daddy
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My thermodynamics textbook says that chemical potential can take any of the following symbols: μ (condition-dependent), μ (standard), μΘ (standard) (superscript plimsoll line) and μO (standard), with which one of the latter 3 being used depending on the temperature chosen to define standard state.

I have seen that the notation typically used for ΔH under standard conditions of 298.15 K, 1 bar pressure is the ΔHΘ symbol (and ΔSΘ similarly). However, ΔGO is used to denote ΔG under standard conditions of 298.15 K, 1 bar pressure. Should this more correctly be ΔGΘ (so we write ΔGΘ=ΔHΘ-T·ΔSΘ, so the conditions are the same)? Or perhaps they are all actually O?

Also, does ΔGΘ for a reaction actually refer to the value of ΔG for that reaction under standard conditions of 298.15 K, 1 bar pressure? If so, wouldn't that mean that the equilibrium constant must be 1 under standard conditions (which is not necessarily true), as a result of ΔG=ΔGΘ+R·T·loge(Q) and now ΔG=ΔGΘ under such conditions? If not, what is the actual definition of ΔGΘ, and with regards to ΔG itself?
 
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To your second question. Yes, K=1 at the standard state, but this is not an equilibrium situation and the standard state is often only a theoretical construct which is impossible to realize experimentally.
E.g. you can't have a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen with partial pressure 1 bar of each component and total pressure being 1 bar, too.
 
DrDu said:
To your second question. Yes, K=1 at the standard state, but this is not an equilibrium situation and the standard state is often only a theoretical construct which is impossible to realize experimentally.
E.g. you can't have a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen with partial pressure 1 bar of each component and total pressure being 1 bar, too.

I'm getting confused now. How exactly is ΔGr° to be defined? I know that ΔGr°=ΔHr°-T*ΔSr°. But doesn't the ° symbol mean "standard conditions of 298.15 K and 1 bar pressure" or not - because if so then we may as well write ΔGr°=ΔHr°-298.15*ΔSr° and I'm sure this is wrong, because now let's look for the temperature at which K=1 (which should, according to what I showed in my OP, be 298.15 K, but is as I will show now indeterminate) through ΔGr°=-R*T*loge(K) and now ΔHr°-298.15*ΔSr°=-R*T*loge(K) and our system crashes: T=(ΔHr°-298.15*ΔSr°)/(-R*loge(K)), and far from 298.15 K, our answer will be undefined for K=1.

So the question becomes - what actually is ΔGr° with relation to ΔGr? Evidently it is incorrect to say "standard conditions of 298.15 K and 1 bar pressure" alone because clearly ΔGr° does exhibit temperature dependency due to the T variable in ΔGr°=ΔHr°-T*ΔSr°.
 
I would have to look up the details myself.
A very good reference on standard states is:


Klotz, Irving M. / Rosenberg, Robert M.
Chemical Thermodynamics
Basic Concepts and Methods
 
Big-Daddy said:
I'm getting confused now. How exactly is ΔGr° to be defined? I know that ΔGr°=ΔHr°-T*ΔSr°. But doesn't the ° symbol mean "standard conditions of 298.15 K and 1 bar pressure" or not - because if so then we may as well write ΔGr°=ΔHr°-298.15*ΔSr° and I'm sure this is wrong, because now let's look for the temperature at which K=1 (which should, according to what I showed in my OP, be 298.15 K, but is as I will show now indeterminate) through ΔGr°=-R*T*loge(K) and now ΔHr°-298.15*ΔSr°=-R*T*loge(K) and our system crashes: T=(ΔHr°-298.15*ΔSr°)/(-R*loge(K)), and far from 298.15 K, our answer will be undefined for K=1.

So the question becomes - what actually is ΔGr° with relation to ΔGr? Evidently it is incorrect to say "standard conditions of 298.15 K and 1 bar pressure" alone because clearly ΔGr° does exhibit temperature dependency due to the T variable in ΔGr°=ΔHr°-T*ΔSr°.
ΔG° = ΔH°-TΔS° This is the free energy change with standard conditions @ 298 K from elements
in their standard states. Where ΔG = ΔH-TΔS is for calculating when ΔG becomes negative with
increasing temperature. Also regarding solving for T when K =1 , its my understanding that its
when ΔG = 0 that K =1
 
If K=1 the logarithm vanishes and ##\Delta G=\Delta G^0##. K=1 in general does not correspond to an equilibrium situation (even less at fixed temperature so ##\Delta G## won't be 0. In contrast, ##\Delta G^0=-RT \ln K## holds only in equilibrium.
 
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DrDu said:
If K=1 the logarithm vanishes and ##\Delta G=\Delta G^0##. K=1 in general does not correspond to an equilibrium situation (even less at fixed temperature so ##\Delta G## won't be 0. In contrast, ##\Delta G^0=-RT \ln K## holds only in equilibrium.
In post # 3 Big-Daddy is solving for T with ΔG° = ΔH° - TΔS° and ΔG°(298K) = -RTlnK
Standard free energy changes @ 298K. And in ΔG° = -RTlnK 'K' can have different values
and when K = 1 , ΔG° = 0 Not questioning your last post - just for clarification
 
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