## maximum work

$\Delta G^{\circ}= \Delta H^{\circ} - T \Delta S^{\circ}$

$\Delta G^{\circ}= -RT\ln K$

$\Delta G^{\circ}= \sum \Delta G_{f}^{\circ}(products) - \sum \Delta G_{f}^{\circ}(reactants)$

Lindsey Chheng 1E
Posts: 110
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:16 am

### maximum work

Since some of the energy released in chemical reactions is lost as heat, then is the term "maximum work" technically a theoretical explanation for an ideal situation where all the energy released from a reaction is used for work and none is lost as heat?

peteryim
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Sep 07, 2019 12:17 am

### Re: maximum work

That's my understanding of it. Max work only occurs in a theoretical scenario, as does most of thermodynamics and chemistry, because real life situations are too complicated.

SnehinRajkumar1L
Posts: 101
Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2019 12:15 am

### Re: maximum work

Maximum work refers to when a system is undergoing reversible expansion. that is when the maximum amount of work is done.

Andres Merlos 2L
Posts: 46
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:17 am

### Re: maximum work

Maximum work refers to work done by a system during a reversible reaction. As such, maximum work, when none is lost as heat, would be theoretical.

Sofia Barker 2C
Posts: 101
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:21 am

### Re: maximum work

I believe it is theoretical because no biological or chemical process is 100% energy efficient. Energy transfers are not perfect, so there will always be at least a small amount of it that becomes heat instead of 'useful' energy that can be used to do work.

Cole Woulbroun 1J
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: maximum work

Yes, maximum work is a theoretical expression. In actuality, you will likely have both a change in work and heat over the course of the reaction, as dU = q + w. Expressing the change in Gibbs free energy as maximum work is just a simpler way to describe it.