Abstract
The state of minimum Gibbs function is frequently interpreted to be the state of chemical equilibrium. A literature survey reveals that predictions obtained by Gibbs criterion can lead to significant quantitative and qualitative errors. One main element in Gibbs’ argument is that the condition of reversibility must be maintained, even though real processes are irreversible in nature. An analytical analysis is presented to show that a correct application of thermodynamic laws rather yields a slightly different parameter that includes surrounding temperature contrary to the Gibbs function, which includes system temperature. At equilibrium, a change in composition is negligible in time, so is a change in enthalpy, entropy, and other properties. The error is initiated when “change in property is zero” is inferred as “differential of property is zero,” which then leads one to look for an extremum that is (mistakenly) implied to represent a chemical equilibrium.
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