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Ch.19 - Chemical Thermodynamics
Chapter 19, Problem 57

Using data in Appendix C, calculate ΔH°, ΔS°, and ΔG° at 298 K for each of the following reactions. (a) H₂(g) + F₂(g) → 2 HF(g) (b) C(s, graphite) + 2 Cl₂(g) → CCl₄(g) (c) 2 PCl₃(g) + O₂(g) → 2 POCl₃(g) (d) 2 CH₃OH(g) + H₂(g) → C₂H₆(g) + 2 H₂O(g)

Verified step by step guidance
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Step 1: Identify the standard enthalpy of formation (ΔH°f), standard entropy (S°), and standard Gibbs free energy of formation (ΔG°f) for each reactant and product from Appendix C.
Step 2: For each reaction, calculate the change in enthalpy (ΔH°) using the formula: ΔH° = Σ(ΔH°f of products) - Σ(ΔH°f of reactants).
Step 3: Calculate the change in entropy (ΔS°) for each reaction using the formula: ΔS° = Σ(S° of products) - Σ(S° of reactants).
Step 4: Calculate the change in Gibbs free energy (ΔG°) for each reaction using the formula: ΔG° = Σ(ΔG°f of products) - Σ(ΔG°f of reactants).
Step 5: Verify the calculations by checking the units and ensuring that the values are consistent with the expected signs for spontaneous reactions (ΔG° < 0).

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Enthalpy Change (ΔH°)

Enthalpy change (ΔH°) is the heat content change of a system at constant pressure during a chemical reaction. It indicates whether a reaction is exothermic (releases heat, ΔH° < 0) or endothermic (absorbs heat, ΔH° > 0). This value can be calculated using standard enthalpies of formation from tabulated data, which represent the energy change when one mole of a compound is formed from its elements in their standard states.
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Entropy Change (ΔS°)

Entropy change (ΔS°) measures the disorder or randomness in a system during a reaction. A positive ΔS° indicates an increase in disorder, while a negative ΔS° suggests a decrease. Entropy values can be derived from standard molar entropy values, which reflect the amount of energy unavailable for work due to the disorder of the system. Understanding ΔS° is crucial for predicting the spontaneity of reactions.
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Gibbs Free Energy Change (ΔG°)

Gibbs free energy change (ΔG°) combines enthalpy and entropy changes to determine the spontaneity of a reaction at constant temperature and pressure. It is calculated using the equation ΔG° = ΔH° - TΔS°, where T is the temperature in Kelvin. A negative ΔG° indicates that a reaction is spontaneous, while a positive ΔG° suggests it is non-spontaneous. This concept is essential for understanding the thermodynamic favorability of chemical processes.
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