Spontaneity, Entropy, and Free Energy
The first law of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed. This means that energy in the universe is constant. Energy is being transferred from one thing to another with the quantity never changing. Enery is released in the chemical equation
CH4(g) + 2O2(g) --> CO2(g) + 2H2O(g) + energy
Witht the first law of thermodynamics it can tell the amount of energy in the change, if the energy flow is into or out the system, and the form of energy it finally assumes. It does not tell why the process will occur in a given direction. That is what this chapter will answer.
