How does increasing temperature affect a reaction with negative ΔH and positive ΔS?

Prepare for the ACS Physical Chemistry: Thermochemistry Test with detailed questions, flashcards, hints, and explanations. Get ready to excel in the exam!

For a reaction characterized by a negative change in enthalpy (ΔH < 0) and a positive change in entropy (ΔS > 0), the spontaneity can be analyzed using Gibbs free energy (ΔG), which is given by the equation:

[ \Delta G = \Delta H - T\Delta S ]

In this scenario, since ΔH is negative, the term contributes in a way that favors spontaneity. Similarly, because ΔS is positive, the term ( -T\Delta S ) becomes more negative as the temperature (T) increases, which further favors spontaneity.

Thus, as the temperature rises, the overall value of ΔG decreases (indicating that the reaction is more spontaneous). Therefore, increasing the temperature guarantees that the reaction remains spontaneous, since the negative ΔH will continue to drive the reaction forward, while the positive ΔS contributes to making ΔG negative, even more so at higher temperatures.

Consequently, it can be affirmed that raising the temperature will ensure that the reaction remains spontaneous. This phenomenon is crucial in understanding how thermodynamic parameters impact chemical reaction behavior, particularly in relation to temperature changes.

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