Free Energy (Noun)
Meaning
(physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs; "energy can take a wide variety of forms".
Classification
Nouns denoting natural phenomena.
Examples
- The free energy of the system decreased as it released heat to the surroundings.
- The concept of free energy is crucial in understanding the spontaneity of chemical reactions.
- The Gibbs free energy equation is commonly used to calculate the energy change of a system at constant temperature and pressure.
- In thermodynamics, the free energy of a system is a measure of its ability to perform work.
- The Helmholtz free energy is a thermodynamic potential that is useful in describing the behavior of systems at constant volume.