ΔG provides information about which aspect of a reaction?

The change in Gibbs free energy (ΔG) primarily provides information about the direction of a chemical reaction. A negative ΔG indicates that the reaction is spontaneous and will proceed in the forward direction, meaning it can occur without the input of additional energy. In contrast, a positive ΔG suggests that the reaction is non-spontaneous in the forward direction and will favor the reactants under standard conditions.

It's important to note that while ΔG does not indicate the speed of a reaction, the kinetics, which describe how fast a reaction occurs, are influenced by factors such as the activation energy and concentration of reactants. Similarly, it does not dictate the actual amount of product formed at equilibrium, as this is influenced by the system's equilibrium constant. Lastly, ΔG is also temperature-dependent but does not provide a direct measure of the temperature of the reaction itself. Instead, it reflects how temperature affects the favorability of the reaction.