AP CHEM DATE: NAME:_______________________________

THERMODYNAMICS
ENTHALPY, ENTROPY and GIBBS FREE ENERGY

OBJECTIVES

1. To measure enthalpy.
2. To calculate entropy.
3. To calculate Gibbs free energy.

INTRODUCTION

The Gibbs free energy is (delta G) is a measure of the spontaneity of a process and of the
useful energy available from it.

Negative delta G indicates a spontaneous process.

Positive delta G indicates a nonspontaneous process or a process spontaneous in opposite
direction

Delta G is calculated from the equation:

Delta G= delta H T delta S

In todays experiments we will measure experimentally change in enthalpy, delta H, and obtain
change in entropy, delta S, from the table data.

EXAMPLES OF CALCULATIONS:
1. Measurement and calculations of delta H.
22.0 g of magnesium sulfate was dissolved in 300. mL of water at 23.3 degree C in a coffee-
cup calorimeter. After dissolving, the temperature increased to 36.6 degree C. Write the
thermochemical equation for the reaction, that is, calculate the enthalpy for the reaction:
MgSO4(s) --> Mg2+(aq) + SO42(aq)
Assume that the calorimeter loses only a negligible quantity of heat, density of the solutions is
1.00 g/mL, and the specific heat of the solutions is 4.184 J/g K. Since adding the crystals
doesnt change the volume noticeably, assume the mass of solution to be 300. g.

Step 1. Calculate the heat produced in the reaction:

heat = sp. heat of solution x mass of solution x delta T
or qsoln = csoln x mass soln x delta Tsoln

qsoln =4.184 J/g K x 300. g x 13.3 K = 16694 J = 16.7 kJ

Step 2. Calculate how many moles are 22.0 g of magnesium sulfate.

22.0 g x 1 mol/120.4 g = 0.183 mol MgSO4

Step 3. Calculate the heat evolved per one mole of magnesium sulfate. This is the
sought delta H value. Enthalpy will be negative, (), since it is an exothermic reaction (the
temperature went up).
1 mol x 16.7 kJ/0.183 mol = 91.3 kJ

Step 4. Rewrite the equation with state symbols and with the delta H value. Enthalpy is
expressed per number of moles in the equation, in this case, per one mole.

Page 1 of 5
 MgSO4(s) >Mg2+(aq) + SO42(aq) delta H = - 91.3 kJ

2. Delta S from standard tabulated data.

S (J/K mol)

MgSO4(s) 91.6

Mg2+(aq) - 138.1

SO42(aq) 20.1

Delta S = S products - S reactants

Delta S = [Mg2+(aq) + SO42(aq)] - MgSO4(s)

Delta S = [-138.1 J/K mol + 20.1 J/K mol] - 91.6 J/K mol = - 209.6 J/K mol

This value indicates that entropy decreases during the dissolving. This is a rare case. It is
related to formation of regular structures of water surrounding the ions.

3. Calculation of the Gibbs free energy.

In all calculations we will use the standard temperature 298 K which is close to a room
temperature. Enthalpy and entropy doesnt change significantly in our range of temperatures.
Remember that H is usually expresses in kJ and S in J. Perform appropriate conversions before
calculating G.

Delta G= delta H T delta S

Delta G = - 91300 J/mol - [298 K x (- 209.6 J/K mol)] = - 28800 J = - 28.8
kJ/mol

Negative value of delta G indicates that dissolving magnesium sulfate is spontaneous.

PROCEDURE.
ALL TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENTS SHOULD BE TAKEN WITH THE UTMOST CARE AND
REPORTED TO 0.1 degree C.
1. Put exactly 100.0 mL of distilled water in a coffee cup calorimeter. Measure and record the
initial temperature. Put about 10 g ammonium nitrate crystals into water (record the weight
exactly) and gently mix with the thermometer until the crystals dissolve completely. Record
the final temperature after all crystals are dissolved and the temperature stabilizes. In
calculations, assume that the calorimeter loses only a negligible quantity of heat, density of the
solutions is 1.00 g/mL, and the specific heat of the solutions is 4.184 J/(g degree C). Since
adding the crystals doesnt change the volume noticeably, assume the mass of solution to be
100.0 g.
NH4NO3(s) -->NH4+(aq) + NO3-(aq)

2. Put exactly 100.0 mL of distilled water in a coffee cup calorimeter. Measure and record the
initial temperature. Put about 5 g of sodium hydroxide pellets into water (record the weight
exactly) and gently mix with the thermometer until the crystals dissolve completely. Record
the final temperature after all solid is dissolved and the temperature stabilizes. In calculations,
assume that the calorimeter loses only a negligible quantity of heat, density of the solutions is
1.00 g/mL, and the specific heat of the solutions is 4.184 J/(g degree C). Since adding the

Page 2 of 5
crystals doesnt change the volume noticeably, assume the mass of solution to be 100.0 g.
NaOH(s) > Na+(aq) + OH-(aq)

Page 3 of 5
AP CHEM DATE: NAME:_______________________________

ENTHALPY, ENTROPY and GIBBS FREE ENERGY

Using the example, calculate the Gibbs free energy for the process of dissolving ammonium
nitrate and the process of dissolving sodium hydroxide on a separate page (equation: delta G=
delta H T delta S).
Use the standard temperature 298 K.
Use the experimental data to calculate enthalpy of dissolving (delta H).
Use the following data to calculate the entropy change (delta S):

S (J/K mol)

NH4NO3(s) 151

NH4+(aq) 113.4

NO3-(aq) 146.4

NaOH(s) 64.46

Na+(aq) 59.0

OH-(aq) - 10.7

After completing the calculations answer the following questions separately for each
experiment:

1. Is the dissolving exothermic or endothermic?

2. Does the entropy decreases or increases during dissolving?
3. Is the Gibbs free energy positive or negative? Is the process of dissolving spontaneous?

4. On a separate page, using data in appendix 4, calculate Gibbs free energy for the reaction
of dissolving lithium phosphate, Li3PO4, in water at 25 degree Celsius. Do the calculations in two
ways:
1) use standard enthalpy of formation (delta H) and entropy (S) from Appendix 4, and use the
same formula as you did in the lab experiments: delta G= delta H T delta S. Remember that
both delta H and delta S has to include three lithium ions.
2) use standard free energies of formation from Appendix 4 (delta G) and equation

Page 4 of 5
 delta G = sum delta G products sum delta G reactants
Make a comment whether you obtained similar results in both calculations.

Page 5 of 5