³⁴A useful analogy for enthalpy is the maximum available balance of a bank account. Suppose you have a bank account with a minimum balance requirement of $32 to maintain that account. Your maximum available balance at any time would be the total amount of money in that account minus $32, or to phrase this differently your maximum available balance is the most money you may spend from this account while still keeping that account open. Enthalpy is much the same: the amount of thermal energy a sample may “spend” (i.e. lose) before its temperature reaches 32 degrees Fahrenheit.