what is chemical potential energy

Chemical potential energy is the energy stored in the chemical bonds of a substance. When these bonds are broken during a chemical reaction, this energy is released. It is a form of potential energy that is ready to be released through a chemical reaction/17%3A_Thermochemistry/17.01%3A_Chemical_Potential_Energy). For example, the various chemicals that make up gasoline contain a large amount of chemical potential energy, which is released when the gasoline is burned in a controlled way in the engine of a car/17%3A_Thermochemistry/17.01%3A_Chemical_Potential_Energy). Another example is dynamite, which contains nitroglycerin, a very unstable material. When ignited, the nitroglycerin explodes rapidly, releasing large amounts of energy in the form of heat and gases/17%3A_Thermochemistry/17.01%3A_Chemical_Potential_Energy). In thermodynamics, the chemical potential of a species is the energy that can be absorbed or released due to a change in the particle number of the given species, such as in a chemical reaction or phase change. Particles tend to move from higher chemical potential to lower chemical potential because this reduces the free energy. Chemical potential energy is an important concept in understanding the energy changes that occur during chemical reactions and phase changes.