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Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: o1ocups on March 17, 2009, 10:56:44 PM

Title: How do you know if this reaction is spontaneous by just looking at it?
Post by: o1ocups on March 17, 2009, 10:56:44 PM
H2(g) --> 2H(g)

Is it even spontaneous? I feel like it's not but I don't know. Maybe only under high temperatures?
Title: Re: How do you know if this reaction is spontaneous by just looking at it?
Post by: Loyal on March 18, 2009, 03:20:20 AM
Let me ask it this way. 

How likely is it that at room temperature a bond between two hydrogens (Which hydrogen is diatomic at room temp) will instantly snap and the two atoms will fly apart becoming highly reactive radicals that will attack nearly anything they touch?

Title: Re: How do you know if this reaction is spontaneous by just looking at it?
Post by: o1ocups on March 18, 2009, 01:40:52 PM
OK hahasyeah that makes sense. So if it's the other way around it's spontaneous at all temperatures right?
Title: Re: How do you know if this reaction is spontaneous by just looking at it?
Post by: Loyal on March 19, 2009, 02:05:46 AM
OK hahasyeah that makes sense. So if it's the other way around it's spontaneous at all temperatures right?

I wouldn't quite say all temperatures without doing a little math, but frankly I would imagine you would have a hard time finding a temperature where it isn't spontaneous.