Can an endothermic process be spontaneous?
Matthew Wilson
Published Mar 02, 2026
Can an endothermic process be spontaneous?
However, endothermic reactions do occur spontaneously, or naturally. There must be another driving force besides enthalpy change which helps promote spontaneous chemical reaction.
Is an endothermic reaction always non-spontaneous?
Most endothermic reactions are non-spontaneous; without a steady supply of energy, the reactions typically come to a stop. An endothermic reaction can be spontaneous if entropy increases by more than the change in enthalpy.
Are all spontaneous processes exothermic?
All spontaneous processes are not exothermic, because it is the Gibbs Free energy that determines spontaneity, not the enthalpy. You will notice that this expression may be positive even with a negative enthalpy change (exothermic process) if the entropy change is negative and the temperature is high enough.
At what temperature does this reaction change from non-spontaneous to spontaneous?
At a relatively low temperature (below 273K), the melting is not spontaneous because the positive ΔH term “outweighs” the TΔS term. When the temperature rises above 273K, the process becomes spontaneous because the larger T value has tipped the sign of ΔG over to being negative.
Which of the following is spontaneous endothermic process?
The reaction between solid barium hydroxide octahydrate and solid ammonium thiocyanate is endothermic and spontaneous. Two of the products in this reaction are ammonia gas and liquid water. These phase changes from solid to both gas and liquid give the reaction a positive change in entropy.
How do you make an endothermic process spontaneous?
An endothermic reaction can only be spontaneous under standard conditions if the increase in molar entropy is sufficient to overcome the endothermicity. If Δ G is negative the reaction is spontaneous. Usually this equation is dominated by enthalpy changes but in rare cases entropy can determine spontaneity.
Why exothermic processes are spontaneous?
An exothermic reaction is when a reaction has a net release of heat, system loses heat (ΔH is negative). Spontaneous means that the reaction happens without any added help (ie. any extra energy). Spontaneous reactions have a negative ΔG.
Are all exothermic reactions product favored?
This is an exothermic reaction with an increase in entropy. Thus DSuniv > 0 and DG < 0. The Second Law of Thermodynamics says that such a reaction is product-favored, so a DG less than zero also means a product-favored reaction.
What is always positive when a spontaneous process occurs?
The second law of thermodynamics states that for any spontaneous process, the overall ΔS must be greater than or equal to zero; yet, spontaneous chemical reactions can result in a negative change in entropy. Since the overall ΔS = ΔSsurroundings + ΔSsystem, the overall change in entropy is still positive.
When is a reaction always spontaneous?
When ΔS > 0 and ΔH < 0, the process is always spontaneous as written. When ΔS < 0 and ΔH > 0, the process is never spontaneous, but the reverse process is always spontaneous. When ΔS > 0 and ΔH > 0, the process will be spontaneous at high temperatures and non-spontaneous at low temperatures.
What types of reactions are endothermic and exothermic?
Exothermic Reactions
| Endothermic Reaction | Exothermic Reaction |
|---|---|
| Energy in the form of heat | Energy is released as heat, electricity, light or sound. |
| Melting ice, evaporation, cooking, gas molecules, photosynthesis are a few examples | Rusting iron, settling, chemical bonds, explosions, nuclear fission are a few examples. |
How can endothermic reactions be spontaneous?
How can endothermic reaction be spontaneous? An endothermic reaction can only be spontaneous under standard conditions if the increase in molar entropy is sufficient to overcome the endothermicity.
Is evaporation endothermic or exothermic?
Evaporation is endothermic, yet water slowly evaporates into vapor in the atmosphere.$\\endgroup$ – Pritt says Reinstate Monica Mar 29 ’18 at 9:20 $\\begingroup$A very similar example (which I find a bit easier to visualise) to Pritt Balagopal’s is the melting of ice at room temperature.$\\endgroup$ – Eashaan Godbole Mar 29 ’18 at 11:36
Is a cold pack reaction endothermic or spontaneous?
The reaction is both endothermic and spontaneous at standard temperature and pressure. Chemical cold packs consist of two pouches, one containing water, the other containing ammonium nitrate or a similar substance. A thin membrane separates the pouches.
How do you define spontaneous reactions?
”Spontaneous reactions are reactions which take place on their own”. This is true. But, Chemistry defines ‘spontaneity’ in this way. ”A chemical reaction is spontaneous iff the gibbs free energy associated with it is negative.”.