How is the consumption of free energy defined and measured in thermodynamics?

[Cybernetic1]

We know that free energy is a well-defined concept in thermodynamics. How about the *consumption* of free energy? Are there well-defined criteria for saying "system X has consumed E amounts of free energy" ?

That requires us to define what is a physical system, and secondly, to define consumption.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Andy Resnick]

The conversion of free energy into some other form (entropy, I suppose) is well defined and measurable- see, for example:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_scanning_calorimetry