To examine driving forces that account for whether a chemical reaction is favorable or not requires looking at two kinds of change. Changes in the amount of order that accompany chemical reactions. The of energy produced and the speed at which a reaction occur are not connected. Endothermic reactions - are those in which heat is absorbed.
Reactions are favorable when they result in a decrease in energy and and increase in disorder.
The first law of thermodynamics states that energy can be converted from one form to another but cannot be destroyed or created. The second law of thermodynamics states that the total entropy of the universe is constantly increasing.