Final answer:
For a reaction where ΔH is negative (energy is released) and ΔS is positive (disorder increases), the process is considered both enthalpically and entropically favorable, and thus the reaction is spontaneous at all temperatures.
Step-by-step explanation:
When discussing the spontaneity of a reaction in terms of thermodynamics, two primary factors come into play: the change in enthalpy (ΔH) and the change in entropy (ΔS). If ΔH is negative, this indicates an exothermic reaction where energy is released, making the reaction enthalpically favorable. Meanwhile, a positive ΔS suggests an increase in disorder, also known as entropic favorability. According to the Gibbs free energy equation, ΔG = ΔH - TΔS, where T is the absolute temperature in Kelvin (which is always positive), if both ΔH is negative and ΔS is positive, the reaction would have a negative Gibbs free energy (ΔG), indicating that the process is spontaneous at all temperatures. This condition aligns with processes favored by both enthalpic and entropic contributions towards product formation.