How can you find where a reaction becomes spontaneous?

To determine where a reaction transitions into spontaneity, it is appropriate to set the Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) equal to zero and solve for temperature (T). At this point, the reaction is at equilibrium, meaning that the forward and reverse reactions occur at equal rates, and there is no net change in the concentration of reactants and products.

Spontaneity is governed by the sign of ΔG: a negative ΔG indicates a spontaneous reaction, while a positive ΔG indicates a non-spontaneous one. The relationship between ΔG, enthalpy (ΔH), temperature (T), and entropy (ΔS) is described by the equation ΔG = ΔH - TΔS. By rearranging this equation to ΔG = 0, we can derive the temperature at which the system shifts from non-spontaneous to spontaneous behavior based on the values of ΔH and ΔS.

This approach focuses on the thermodynamic conditions that favor or hinder spontaneity, rather than other factors such as reaction rates or measurements of temperature alone, which do not provide direct insight into the Gibbs free energy and its role in defining spontaneity. Thus, finding the temperature where ΔG equals zero effectively reveals the threshold where the