Which of the following pairs of a chemical reaction is certain to result in a spontaneous reaction ?
- Exothermic and increasing disorder
- Exothermic and decreasing disorder
- Endothermic and increasing disorder
- Endothermic and decreasing disorder
Answer
(1) Exothermic and increasing disorder
Solution
As per NCERT, G = H - T S and a reaction is spontaneous when G < 0.
Exothermic ⇒ H < 0; increasing disorder ⇒ S > 0 ⇒ -T S < 0
⇒ G is negative at all temperatures.
(Exothermic with decreasing disorder is spontaneous only at low temperature, endothermic with increasing disorder only at high temperature, and endothermic with decreasing disorder never.)
∴ Exothermic and increasing disorder is certain to give a spontaneous reaction.
Answer: (1)