Gibbs Free Energy

Gibbs Free Energy Tutorial

Big Idea 2: Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce, and to maintain dynamic homeostasis.

Living systems require free energy and matter to maintain order, grow, and reproduce.  Organisms employ various strategies to capture, use, and store free energy and other vital resources.  Energy deficiencies are not only detrimental to individual organisms; they can also cause disruptions at the population and ecosystem levels. - The College Board, 2015

Graph Credit: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Structural_Biochemistry/Enzyme/Gibbs_free_energy_graph

Key Terminology: Gibbs free energy (G), Enthalpy, Entropy, Heat, Temperature

Key Concepts: First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics

Key Equations:

• Gibbs free energy (G = H - TS)
• Standard-state free energy of reaction (ΔG˚ = ΔH˚ - TΔS˚)

Key Ideas: 

• Reaction occurs spontaneously (favorable conditions): ΔH˚ < 0 or ΔS˚ > 0
• Reaction does not occur spontaneously (unfavorable conditions): ΔH˚ > 0 or ΔS˚ < 0

Helpful Links:

• http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/topicreview/bp/ch21/gibbs.php

Helpful Tutorials:

• https://www.khanacademy.org/science/chemistry/thermodynamics-chemistry/gibbs-free-energy/v/gibbs-free-energy-and-spontaneity

Required Quizzes (for my class): Free Energy Quiz