Thermochemistry

SCI 3: General Chemistry

First Semester SY 2023 - 2024
O.B. Montessori Center, Inc.

1
Topic Outline
1 Nature of Energy

2 Energy Changes in Chemical

Reactions

3 Concept of Enthalpy

4 Basic Calorimetry

2
 1. NATURE OF ENERGY

ENERGY?

• The capacity to do “work”.

• Work is any form of displacement
(atomic or bulk scale)
• Unit is Joules (J) or calories (cal)
 NATURE OF ENERGY

Recall: Forms of Energy

Kinetic Energy is the energy of an
object due to its motion.

Potential Energy is the energy due to the

position or composition of an object

Where can you classify the energy

associated with chemical bonds?
 NATURE OF ENERGY

The amount of energy released in a chemical reaction

equals the difference in between the potential energy
of the bonds in the reactants and the products.

Energy released/absorbed (Q)= PE of products- PE of reactants

 NATURE OF ENERGY

Definition of Terms
Thermal Energy The total quantity of potential energy
and kinetic energy of a substance

Heat It refers to the transfer of thermal

energy from a warm object to a cool
object.

Temperature The measure of the average kinetic

energy of the entities in a substance.
 NATURE OF ENERGY

CONCEPT Compare their temperature and thermal energy.

iceberg cup of hot water
CHECK

Temperature

Thermal Energy
 NATURE OF ENERGY

Definition of Terms
System
The specific part of the universe
that is of interest to you (e.g., a test
tube, a reaction mixture, etc.)

Surroundings
The rest of the universe outside
the system.
 NATURE OF ENERGY

Types of Systems
(a) open system
can exchange both energy and
matter with its surroundings

(b) closed system

can exchange only energy with
its surroundings
(c) isolated system
neither matter nor energy can
move into or out of the system
 NATURE OF ENERGY

CONCEPT Classify the following systems.

CHECK An operating
butane burner in a
Samgyupsal place

The iced coffee in

your insulated flask

A glowstick
 NATURE OF ENERGY

Law of Conservation of Energy

Energy cannot be created nor destroyed, it
can only be converted to one form or another.

This means that an isolated system always has the

same amount of energy.

The universe is an isolated system. Thus, the energy

in the universe is always conserved.
 2.ENERGY CHANGES IN CHEMICAL REACTIONS

Thermochemistry
It is the study of heat changes in chemical reactions.
A reaction can be classified as either endothermic
or exothermic.

Why is heat produced or required in chemical reactions?

The breaking and forming chemical bonds

involves energy.
 ENERGY CHANGES IN CHEMICAL REACTIONS

Recall: Exothermic Reactions

A chemical reaction that releases energy.
The reactants have higher potential energy than the
products.

Example: combustion of methane, CH4.

CH4 (g) + 2 O2 (g) → CO2 (g) + 2 H2O (g) + energy

Energy is a product. Thus, it is released in the

surroundings.
 ENERGY CHANGES IN CHEMICAL REACTIONS

Recall: Endothermic Reactions

A chemical reaction that absorbs energy.
The products have higher potential energy than the
reactants.

Example: synthesis of nitric oxide, NO.

N2 (g) + O2 (g) + energy ⇌ 2 NO (g)

Energy is a reactant. Thus, it is absorbed by the system.

 ENERGY CHANGES IN CHEMICAL REACTIONS

The total amount of thermal energy in a

Enthalpy, H substance.

The energy change that occurs in a system

Enthalpy change, ΔH during a reaction

ΔH > O, (+), endothermic reaction

ΔH < O, (-), exothermic reaction
 ENERGY CHANGES IN CHEMICAL REACTIONS

Potential Energy Diagrams

Used to represent the enthalpy change of a reaction
y-axis : potential energy, J or kJ
x-axis : reaction progress
 ENERGY CHANGES IN CHEMICAL REACTIONS

Comparing ΔEp diagrams

 NATURE OF ENERGY

Analyze the ΔEp diagrams, determine if the

CONCEPT reaction is endothermic or exothermic.
CHECK
 BASIC CALORIMETRY

During daytime, despite being heated by

the sun at the same time, why is the sand
hotter than the water?

Specific Heat Capacity, c

● Quantity of thermal energy
required to raise the
temperature of 1 gram of a
substance by 1 oC.
● This value can be used to
identify unknown samples
● SI Unit: J/(g·oC)
 BASIC CALORIMETRY

Specific Heat Capacity, c

A high specific heat means that it
requires more energy to change its
temperature.
 BASIC CALORIMETRY

A process of measuring energy changes

Calorimetry during physical or chemical change.

A calorimeter is a device used to measure

energy changes. It consists of:

Well insulated reaction chamber

Tightly fitted cover
Thermometer
stirrer
coffee cup calorimeter
 BASIC CALORIMETRY

Calorimetry

The water in a coffee-cup calorimeter is the

surroundings, and all energy transfers are
assumed to take place between the system
and the water.

The value of Q for the surroundings (the water)

can be used to predict whether a change will be
exothermic or endothermic.

coffee cup calorimeter

 BASIC CALORIMETRY

Calculation Assumptions
Any thermal energy transferred from the calorimeter to
the outside environment is negligible.

Any thermal energy absorbed by the calorimeter itself is

negligible.

All dilute aqueous solutions have the same density (1.00

g/ml) and specific heat (4.18 J/goC) as water.
 BASIC CALORIMETRY

Calorimetry

Where Q is the total amount of thermal energy absorbed or

released by a system, J
m is the mass of the substance, g
c is the specific heat capacity of the substance, J/goC
ΔT is the change in temperature, Tfinal – Tinitial, oC

Note: The magnitude of Q refers to the amount of energy transferred

while the sign of Q refers to the direction of energy transfer.
 BASIC CALORIMETRY

Calorimetry

Following law of conservation of energy, the

total thermal energy must be constant. Thus:

Qsystem + Qsurroundings = 0

Qsystem = -Qsurroundings
 BASIC CALORIMETRY

Sample Problem 1
A coffee cup calorimeter initially has 50.0 ml of liquid water at
21.0 oC. A sample of gold with mass 6.77 g at 100.0 oC was
placed in the calorimeter. The final temperature of the water is
21.33 oC. Assume that the final temperature of the gold sample
was the same as the final temperature of the water in the
calorimeter.
a. Calculate the thermal energy, Q, absorbed by the water
in the calorimeter.
b. Calculate the specific heat of gold.
Note: ρwater = 1.00 g/ml
cwater = 4.18 J/goC.
 BASIC CALORIMETRY

SAMPLE PROBLEM 1
Given: Water (surrounding) Gold (system)
A coffee cup calorimeter Vwater = 50.0 ml mgold = 6.77 g
initially has 50.0 ml of liquid ρwater = 1.00 g/ml Tinitial = 100.0 oC
water at 21.0 oC. A sample of Tinitial = 21.0 oC Tfinal = 21.33 oC
gold at 100.0 oC was placed cwater = 4.18 J/goC
in the calorimeter. The final Tfinal = 21.32 oC
temperature of the water is
21.33 oC.
a. Calculate the thermal
energy, Q, absorbed by Solution: • Find mass of water through
the water in the
calorimeter.
density, ρ = m/v, thus m = ρv.
b. Get the specific heat of • Solve for Q.
gold • Then, get the specific heat of
Note: ρwater = 1.00 g/ml gold.
cwater = 4.18 J/goC.
 BASIC CALORIMETRY

SAMPLE PROBLEM 1 1. Find the mass of water

A coffee cup calorimeter
initially has 50.0 ml of liquid
water at 21.0 oC. A sample of
gold with mass 6.77g at 100.0
oC was placed in the

calorimeter. The final

temperature of the water is
21.32 oC.
2. Solve for Q
a. Calculate the thermal
energy, Q, absorbed by
the water in the
calorimeter.
Note: ρwater = 1.00 g/ml
cwater = 4.18 J/goC.
 BASIC CALORIMETRY

3. Find the specific heat of gold

SAMPLE PROBLEM 1

A coffee cup calorimeter

initially has 50.0 ml of
liquid water at 21.0 oC. A
sample of gold at 100.0 oC
was placed in the
calorimeter. The final
temperature of the water
is 21.33 oC. Calculate the
thermal energy, Q,
absorbed by the water in
the calorimeter.
Note: ρwater = 1.00 g/ml
cwater = 4.18 J/goC.
 BASIC CALORIMETRY

Sample Problem 2
A 50.0 mL sample of a 1.00 M aqueous solution of
hydrochloric acid, HCl (aq), was mixed with 50.0 mL of a 1.00 M
aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide, NaOH(aq), at 25.0 °C in
a calorimeter. After the solutions were mixed by stirring, the
temperature was 31.9 °C.

Determine the quantity of thermal energy transferred by the

reaction to the water. Assume that the specific heat capacity
and density of both solutions is the same as that of liquid
water.
 BASIC CALORIMETRY

SAMPLE PROBLEM 2
Given: HCl NaOH
A 50.0 mL sample of a 1.00 M VHCl = 50.0 ml VnaOH = 50.0 ml
aqueous solution of hydrochloric
acid, HCl(aq), was mixed with MHCl= 1.00 M MNaOH= 1.00 M
50.0 mL of a 1.00 M aqueous
solution of sodium hydroxide,
NaOH(aq), at 25.0 °C in a
Tinitial = 25.0 oC
calorimeter. After the solutions Tfinal = 31.9 oC
were mixed by stirring, the cwater = 4.18 J/goC
temperature was 31.9 °C. ρwater = 1.00 g/ml
Determine the quantity of
thermal energy transferred by
the reaction to the water. Assume Solution: • Find mass of the solution by
that the specific heat capacity adding the volume of HCl and
and density of both solutions is
the same as that of liquid water. NaOH then using density formula
Note: ρwater = 1.00 g/ml
• Solve for Q.
cwater = 4.18 J/goC.
 BASIC CALORIMETRY

SAMPLE PROBLEM 2
Find the mass of the solution
A 50.0 mL sample of a 1.00 M
aqueous solution of hydrochloric
acid, HCl(aq), was mixed with
50.0 mL of a 1.00 M aqueous
solution of sodium hydroxide,
NaOH(aq), at 25.0 °C in a
calorimeter. After the solutions
were mixed by stirring, the
temperature was 31.9 °C.

Determine the quantity of

thermal energy transferred by
the reaction to the water. Assume
that the specific heat capacity
and density of both solutions is
the same as that of liquid water.

Note: ρwater = 1.00 g/ml

cwater = 4.18 J/goC.
Questions?
Prepare for Seatwork 1

References:
Chang, R., (2007). Chemistry, 10th edn. McGraw
Hill. 1170 p.
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