Chapter 20, Problem 16TE

To determine

The reason why exothermic reactions typically favor the formation of products.

Answer to Problem 16TE

The exothermic reaction results in the increase in the entropy and the decrease in Gibbs free energy of a reaction that typically favors the formation of products.

Explanation of Solution

The process of the conversion of reactant species into the product species is called a chemical reaction.

There are two main types of chemical reactions based on the exchange of energy.

• The chemical reaction where the energy is absorbed in the system from the external area or the surrounding is the endothermic type of reaction.
• The chemical reaction where the energy is released to the surrounding from the area of interest or the system is the exothermic type of reaction.

Since, an exothermic reaction results in the release of energy from the reaction system to the external surrounding. This release of energy in an exothermic reaction results in the increase in the entropy of a reaction system and also tends to decrease the Gibbs free energy of a particular reaction.

Hence all these parameters and factors result in the favor of a chemical reaction in the forward direction and thus results in the formation of more products.

Conclusion:

Since an exothermic reaction results in the increase in the entropy and the Gibbs free energy of a reaction, therefore, they typically favor the formation of products.