Which of the following can lead to a decrease in the Gibbs free energy of a system?

The option referring to increasing the entropy is correct, as it directly contributes to a decrease in the Gibbs free energy of a system, according to the Gibbs free energy equation:

[ G = H - TS ]

where ( G ) is Gibbs free energy, ( H ) is enthalpy, ( T ) is the absolute temperature, and ( S ) is entropy.

When entropy increases, the term ( TS ) becomes larger, leading to a larger subtraction from the enthalpy term ( H ). This can either reduce the Gibbs free energy directly or lower the value of ( G ) in states that were previously unfavorable. In simpler terms, systems tend to favor configurations that have higher entropy because they are more disordered and statistically favorable, thus decreasing Gibbs free energy.

In contrast, increasing the temperature can actually lead to a situation where ( TS ) increases, but it does not guarantee that the Gibbs free energy will decrease overall, as this depends on the balance with enthalpy changes. Increasing enthalpy generally has the opposite effect, as it raises the overall energy content of the system, potentially increasing Gibbs free energy. Decreasing entropy would certainly not favor lower Gibbs free energy and would instead suggest a movement towards