Description
A process is exothermic if the enthalpy change of a closed system is negative when proceeding in the forward direction and heat is lost to the environment under isothermal conditions (βeQ < 0) without performance of external work (βeW = 0). The same process is endothermic if it proceeds in the backward direction. Exothermic and endothermic processes can proceed spontaneously without coupling only, if they are exergonic.
MitoPedia concepts:
Ergodynamics
Communicated by Gnaiger E 2018-12-29