Maximum Energy Able to Do Work [ENDORSED]

[Isa Samad 1L]

I remember in lecture that Dr. Lavelle mentioned that Gibb's Free Energy should really be called Gibb's available energy since when ∆G < 0, Gibb's free energy can be thought of as the maximum energy that a system can use to do work. I'm guessing that since Dr. Lavelle specified this definition under conditions when ∆G < 0 that when ∆G > 0, this does not hold true. In other words, does the definition of Gibb's free energy as the maximum energy that a system can use to do work hold true when the reaction in question is non-spontaneous?

[Chem_Mod]

∆G_sys > 0 then it is the maximum work being done on the system.

Good luck everyone with your midterm.

[OliviaShearin2E]

Can someone clarify what types of work? Some sites say maximum reversible work and others say maximum nonexpansion work.

[Sirajbir Sodhi 2K]

Maximum useful (nonexpansion) work is associated with Gibb's Free Energy.