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Enthalpy
Enthalpy
CHANGES
A guide for A level students
2008
SPECIFICATIONS
ENTHALPY CHANGES
CONTENTS
• Thermodynamics
• Enthalpy changes
• Standard enthalpy values
• Standard enthalpy of formation
• Standard enthalpy of combustion
• Enthalpy of neutralisation
• Bond dissociation enthalpy
• Hess’s law
• Calculating enthalpy changes using bond enthalpies
• Calculating enthalpy changes using enthalpy of formation values
• Calculating enthalpy changes using enthalpy of combustion values
• Practical measurement
• Check list
ENTHALPY CHANGES
Energy
changes all chemical reactions are accompanied by some form of energy change
changes can be very obvious (e.g. coal burning) but can go unnoticed
Endothermic photosynthesis
thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate
THERMODYNAMICS - ENTHALPY CHANGES
Enthalpy a measure of the heat content of a substance at constant pressure
you cannot measure the actual enthalpy of a substance
you can measure an enthalpy CHANGE
written as the symbol , “delta H ”
REACTION CO-ORDINATE
ENTHALPY
REACTION CO-ORDINATE REACTION CO-ORDINATE
Symbol °f
Symbol °c
Notes Always only ONE MOLE of what you are burning on the LHS of the equation
To aid balancing the equation, remember...
you get one carbon dioxide molecule for every carbon atom in the original
and one water molecule for every two hydrogen atoms
When you have done this, go back and balance the oxygen.
ENTHALPY OF NEUTRALISATION
Definition The enthalpy change when ONE MOLE of water is formed from
its ions in dilute solution.
Values Exothermic
UNITS = kJ mol-1
HESS’S LAW
“The enthalpy change is independent of the path taken”
The values of and3 have been subtracted because the route
involves going in the opposite direction to their definition.
HESS’S LAW
“The enthalpy change is independent of the path taken”
Use applying Hess’s Law enables one to calculate enthalpy changes from
other data, such as...
energy released making bonds > energy used to break bonds ... EXOTHERMIC
energy used to break bonds > energy released making bonds ... ENDOTHERMIC
If you formed the products from their elements you should need the same amounts
of every substance as if you formed the reactants from their elements.
Sample calculation
Calculate the standard enthalpy change for the following reaction, given that the
standard enthalpies of formation of water, nitrogen dioxide and nitric acid are -286,
+33 and -173 kJ mol-1 respectively; the value for oxygen is ZERO as it is an element
By applying Hess’s Law ... The Standard Enthalpy of Reaction °r will be...
PRODUCTS REACTANTS
[ 4 x f of HNO3 ] minus [ (2 x f of H2O) + (4 x f of NO2) + (1 x f of O2) ]
ANSWER = - 252 kJ
Enthalpy of reaction from enthalpies of combustion
If you burned all the products you should get the same amounts of oxidation products
such a CO2 and H2O as if you burned the reactants.
Sample calculation
Calculate the standard enthalpy of formation of methane; the standard enthalpies of
combustion of carbon, hydrogen and methane are -394, -286 and -890 kJ mol -1 .
By applying Hess’s Law ... The Standard Enthalpy of Reaction °r will be...
REACTANTS PRODUCTS
[ (1 x c of C) + (2 x c of H2) ] minus [ 1 x c of CH4]
ANSWER = - 76 kJ mol-1
MEASURING ENTHALPY CHANGES
Calorimetry involves the practical determination of enthalpy changes
usually involves heating (or cooling) known amounts of water
water is heated up reaction is EXOTHERMIC
water cools down reaction is ENDOTHERMIC
Example calculation
When 0.18g of hexane underwent complete combustion, it raised the temperature of
100g (0.1kg) water from 22°C to 47°C. Calculate its enthalpy of combustion.
Enthalpy change per mol () = heat energy / moles of water = 2.717 / 0.05
= 54.34 kJ mol -1
REVISION CHECK
What should you be able to do?
Explain the difference between an endothermic and exothermic reaction
Understand the reasons for using standard enthalpy changes
Recall the definitions of enthalpy of formation and combustion
Write equations representing enthalpy of combustion and formation
Recall and apply Hess’s law
Recall the definition of bond dissociation enthalpy
Calculate standard enthalpy changes using bond enthalpy values
Calculate standard enthalpy changes using enthalpies of formation and combustion
Know simple calorimetry methods for measuring enthalpy changes
Calculate enthalpy changes from calorimetry measurements