Ethanol is commonly used as a solvent in organic synthesis and for the preparation of a range of commercial products, including hand sanitiser. The evaporation of one mole of ethanol at 298 K has a Gibbs free energy change of 5.40 kJ mol⁻¹.

CH₃CH₂OH(l)  ⇌  CH₃CH₂OH(g)       ΔG°_{298 K} = +5.40 kJ mol⁻¹

1. Predict the sign for ΔH° and ΔS° for the evaporation of 1 mole of ethanol. [0.5 mark each]

   • ΔH° will be
     negative

     positive

     equal to zero
     .
   • ΔS° will be
     negative

     positive

     equal to zero
     .

2. Predict if the evaporation of ethanol under standard conditions at 298 K will be always spontaneous, never spontaneous or only sometimes spontaneous. [1 mark]
   The evaporation of ethanol will be
   always spontaneous

   never spontaneous

   only sometimes spontaneous
   .