Questions: What is the term used to describe the energy of a system that is available to do work? - Free energy - Enthalpy - Kinetic energy - Entropy

Solution Steps

To answer the question, we need to understand the definitions of the terms provided:

• Free Energy: This is the energy in a system that can be used to perform work. In thermodynamics, it is often referred to as Gibbs free energy, which is the energy associated with a chemical reaction that can be used to do work at constant temperature and pressure.

• Enthalpy: This is a measure of the total energy of a thermodynamic system, including internal energy and the energy required to make room for it by displacing its environment.

• Kinetic Energy: This is the energy that an object possesses due to its motion.

• Entropy: This is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. It is not directly related to the energy available to do work.

The question asks for the term that describes the energy of a system available to do work. Based on the definitions:

• Free energy is specifically defined as the energy available to do work.
• Enthalpy, kinetic energy, and entropy do not specifically describe energy available to do work in the context of a system.

Final Answer