Dependence of Spontaneity on Temperature: For a process to be spontaneous , at constant temperature and pressure , there must be decrease in free energy of the system in the direction of the process , i.e. DeltaG_(P.T) lt 0. DeltaG_(P.T) =0 implies the equilibrium condition and DeltaG_(P.T) gt 0 corresponds to non- spontaneity. Gibbs- Helmholtz equation relates the free energy change to the enthalpy and entropy changes of the process as : " "DeltaG_(P.T) = DeltaH-TDeltaS" ""..."(1) The magnitude of DeltaH does not change much with the change in temperature but the entropy factor TDeltaS change appreciably . Thus, spontaneity of a process depends very much on temperature. For endothermic process, both DeltaH and DeltaS are positive . The energy factor, the first factor of equation, opposes the spontaneity whereas entorpy factor favours it. At low temperature the favourable factor TDeltaS will be small and may be less than DeltaH, DeltaG will have positive value indicated the nonspontaneity of the process. On raising temperature , the factor TDeltaS Increases appreciably and when it exceeds DeltaH, DeltaG would become negative and the process would be spontaneous . For an expthermic process, both DeltaH and DeltaS would be negative . In this case the first factor of eq.1 favours the spontaneity whereas the second factor opposes it. At high temperature , when T DeltaS gt DeltaH, DeltaG will have positive value, showing thereby the non-spontaneity fo the process . However , on decreasing temperature , the factor , TDeltaS decreases rapidly and when TDeltaS lt DeltaH, DeltaG becomes negative and the process occurs spontaneously. Thus , an exothermic process may be spontaneous at low temperature and non-spontaneous at high temperature. For the reaction at 298 K ,2A + B rarr C DeltaH =100 kcal and DeltaS=0.050 kcal K^(-1) . If DeltaH and DeltaS are assumed to be constant over the temperature range, above what temperature will the reaction become spontaneous?
