Why does decrease of temperature increase spontanity of a reaction?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the relationship between temperature and the spontaneity of chemical reactions, specifically referencing the Gibbs free energy equation, ΔG = ΔH - TΔS. It is established that reactions are spontaneous when ΔG is negative, which can occur even at lower temperatures if the entropy change (ΔS) is favorable. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding the interplay between enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy (ΔS) in determining reaction spontaneity, rather than solely relying on temperature increases to drive reactions.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Gibbs free energy and its equation (ΔG = ΔH - TΔS)
  • Knowledge of enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy (ΔS) concepts
  • Familiarity with spontaneous reactions in thermodynamics
  • Basic principles of chemical kinetics and reaction dynamics
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the implications of negative ΔG in chemical reactions
  • Explore the relationship between temperature and entropy changes in reactions
  • Learn about the role of enthalpy in determining reaction spontaneity
  • Watch educational videos on Gibbs free energy for intuitive understanding
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Chemistry students, educators, and professionals interested in thermodynamics and reaction kinetics will benefit from this discussion.

sameeralord
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Hello everyone,

I always though when reactants are heated up, there are more collisions and more like a reaction is to take place. However this is not the case for spontaneous reaction according to Gibbs equation. Why is that? Thanks :smile:
 
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I'm not sure how you've reached this conclusion. At constant temperature and pressure, reactions with a negative value of \Delta G=\Delta H-T\Delta S are spontaneous. Since the entropy of a reaction can be positive or negative, we can't say anything absolute about the influence of temperature on spontaneity.
 
Not true, it all depends on the relative magnitudes (and signs) of the enthalpy and entropy terms. Here's a video I found a while back; it does a pretty good job of explaining the equation in intuitive terms.

 
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