Exothermic reaction Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
In chemistry, an exothermic reaction is one that releases heat. It is the opposite of an endothermic reaction. Expressed in a chemical equation:
- Reactants → Products + Energy
In an exothermic reaction the total energy absorbed in bond breaking is less than the total energy released in bond making.
The amount of energy in a chemical is extremely difficult to measure or calculate. The energy change, ΔH, of a chemical reaction is much easier to measure and calculate. A bomb calorimeter is very suitable for measuring the energy change, ΔH, of a combustion reaction. Measured and calculated ΔH values are related to bond energies by:
ΔH = energy used in bond breaking reactions - energy released in bond making products.
For an exothermic reaction, this gives a negative value for ΔH as a larger value is subtracted from a smaller value. For example, when hydrogen burns:
2H2(g) + O2(g) → 2H2O(g)
ΔH = -83.6kJ/mol of O2
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