Chemical potential energy is the amount of stored energy in a substance due to its chemical bonds. The term chemical potential energy applies to a wide range of different substances. To better understand chemical potential energy, consider the following chemical examples. These reactions are reversible and exothermic. These examples demonstrate how chemical potential energy can be stored in many different types of substances. In addition, you will learn what is meant by Gibbs free energy per mole, photon chemical potential, and entropy.
Exothermic reactions
An exothermic reaction results in the conversion of a chemical system’s potential energy into heat energy. The heat produced is a reflection of molecular vibrations. The amount of potential energy a molecule has will depend on the strength of its molecular bonds. To break those bonds, energy must be applied to reach the activation energy, which leads to a transition-state that is unstable.
When a reaction takes place, the reactants will have more potential energy than the products. This energy will be released during the reaction. During an exothermic reaction, however, the reactants will release heat into the surrounding air. This change in energy results in an increase in temperature in the surrounding atmosphere. Likewise, when a reaction takes place in a closed system, the temperature will decrease and vice versa.
Reversible reactions
A reversible reaction occurs when the reactants undergo one step after another. For example, if a reactant A is converted into carbon dioxide, the product will be an evolved carbon dioxide gas. Similarly, if reactant B is converted into calcium oxide, the product will not be formed. A reversible reaction occurs when one step leads to the next, and the process is reversible.
The system efficiencies of four candidate reversible reactions are compared using thermodynamic and chemistry criteria. These are based on a broad industrial base. The components of the thermal transfer are also studied for their usefulness. However, there are some limitations associated with reversible chemical reactions. Despite their potential, reversible reactions are worth exploring further in the context of chemical potential energy generation.
Photon chemical potential
Chemical potential is a term that describes how much energy a given substance has per unit mass, mole or molecule. It was coined in 1875 by J. Gibbs. In a chemical system, the number of photons is never conserved. It is a function of the electric charge density and the excess of electrons over positrons, and therefore, the chemical potential is zero.
When black-body radiation is present, the chemical potential of photons must be zero. This is because photons emitted in black-body radiation have a mass equal to the mass of the body. As a result, the energy of a photon is zero. Unlike other types of radiation, black-body radiation’s chemical potential is constant. Photons emit energy when they are absorbed by the walls of a system.
Gibbs free energy per mole
Gibbs free energy per mole is the chemical potential of a homogeneous system at a particular composition. This is the amount of energy that can be transferred between a substance and its surrounding environment under a constant temperature, pressure, and volume. Gibbs free energy per mole can be defined as the chemical potential of a substance in a homogeneous solution, which is one mole of a compound.
First defined graphically, Gibbs free energy per mole was derived in 1873. This was the year Gibbs published his paper on thermodynamics. In this work, he used the properties of entropy and volume to represent the state of a body and added energy to that state. The same year, Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell interpreted Gibbs’ figures to produce a three-dimensional surface.
Forms of chemical potential energy
There are many forms of chemical potential energy, but the definitions are somewhat different. For example, chemical potential is defined as the amount of internal energy that a given substance has at a certain temperature, pressure, or number of moles. The same quantity of chemical potential energy may be useful for several physical situations, but the term “chemical potential energy” is misleading. Instead, chemical potential is usually referred to as the amount of energy that a substance has in a given state.
When a substance undergoes a reaction, it can release chemical potential energy. It can be either endothermic or exothermic, depending on the strength of chemical bonds. In both cases, energy is released in the form of heat or light. Chemical potential energy can be released by a number of different processes, including the reaction between two molecules. Here are some of the most common forms. Let’s take a look at some of the common types of chemical potential energy.