Determining if a cell reaction is spontaneuous

[ramiro_romero]

For example 6L.2 and 6L.2A in the 7th edition textbook, we are asked to write a cell reaction from an electrochemical cell. After writing the reaction, we are asked to determine whether or not the reaction is spontaneous dependent upon a positive cell potential. I don't understand how to answer this part, how do we know if a reaction is spontaneous given a positive cell potential?

[Brittney Hun 2C]

I believe that if the reaction potential is positive then the reaction is spontaneous. They are related by deltaG = -nFE where E is the cell potential. If it is positive then delta G must be negative so it's spontaneous.

[Aarja Pavade 1H]

From thermodynamics, we learned that if deltaG is negative the reaction is spontaneous. When applying this to electrochemistry and looking at the equation deltaG=-nFE, we see that a negative deltaG is acquired when E is positive. This makes sense as it was discussed in lecture that a positive voltage means a favorable (spontaneous) reaction.

[Callum Guo 1H]

a reaction is spontaneous if gibbs free energy is negative

[Lizette Noriega 1H]

A positive cell potential (E) will result in a negative delta G (via the equation delta G = -nFE), thus creating a spontaneous reaction. Similarly, a negative cell potential will result in a positive delta G, creating a nonspontaneous reaction

[Veronica Lu 2H]

a negative delta G signifies the reaction is spontaneous.