Integrating chemical potentials and free energy functions in chemical equilibrium through a guided computational problem-solving activity: the ammonia synthesis reaction

Abstract A guided, stepwise thermodynamic analysis of the ammonia synthesis reaction is presented in the form of a multipart student problem with an accompanying guided computational solution. The activity is designed to strengthen student understanding of chemical potentials ( µ ), Gibbs ( G ), and Helmholtz ( A ) free energies, and their quantitative connection to chemical equilibrium under different thermodynamic constraints. The problem is organized into pedagogically sequenced tasks involvi