The existence of endothermic, entropy-driven chemical reactions is of great theoretical importance, since this fact shows that free energy, not just enthalpy, is the driving force for chemicalchange. Yet there are few illustrative lab experiments. The ideal svstem would he a s i m~l e . s~ontaneous . . . reaction where the e"qui1ihrium lies to the right, and yet there is a clear heat ahsorotion. These conditions are met by the dissolution of urea in water.If the reaction is conceptualized as the AH for the reaction will be the heat of solution, a large positive number (3.3 kcallmol). The AGO can he obtained by considering a saturated solution in which the solid is in equilibrium with the solution. For this condition, the equilibrium constant K will he and this will simplify, given the usual convention of unit activity for the solid, toThen AGO for the reaction will he AGO = -RTlnK where R is the gas constant and T the absolute temperature. From this argument it is easy to determine AGO once the concentration is known. If we make the approximation that AH = AH", then ASo for the dissolution of urea will be given AGO = AH" -TAP or, rearranging ASo = AHo -AG" T The measurement of AH is easy and routine in freshman chemistry ( I ) . To he absolutely correct, we should consider the difference between A H and AH" (the latter for the solution refers to a l-m standard state) and also the heat of dilution. However, for mixtures as dilute as those used here, the effect is negligible.