O Level Chemistry
Chap 17: Energy Changes
1) Exothermic Reaction
- Reactions that give out heat to the
surroundings
- Causes the temperature of the
reaction mixture to rise (feels hot)
heat is liberated and transferred from the
chemicals to the surroundings
H is negative: chemicals lose energy to the
surroundings
products have less energy than the
reactants: heat energy is lost to the
surroundings
Examples:
- Dissolving NaOH in water
- Neutralisation
- Combustion of fuels
- Rusting of iron, corrosion of metals
- Respiration
Enthalpy Change and Energy Level Diagrams
2. Enthalpy change, H (or heat change, heat of reaction) is the amount of energy involved in a
reaction. Unit = kJ.
E.g. When 1 mol of carbon is burnt in excess oxygen, 349 kJ/mol of heat is produced
C (s) + O2 (g) CO2 (g) H = 349kJ/mol
When hydrogen reacts with iodine (unknown amount), 52kJ of heat is absorbed
H2 (g) + I2 (g) 2HI (g) H = +52 kJ
3. H = Hproducts Hreactants
Exothermic Reaction
When 1 mol of hydrochloric acid reacts with
1 mol of sodium hydroxide, 57.3 kJ of heat is
produced.
Amt of energy produced = 57.3 kJ
H = 57.3 kJ
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Endothermic Reaction
- Reactions that absorb heat from the
surroundings
- Causes the temperature of the
reaction mixture to fall (feels cold)
heat is absorbed and transferred from the
surroundings to the reactants
H is positive: chemicals gain energy from
the surroundings
products have more energy than the
reactants: heat energy is gained from the
surroundings
Examples:
- Dissolving some salts in water:
NH4Cl, KNO3, CuSO4.
- Thermal decomposition, e.g.
CaCO3 (s) CaO (s) + CO2 (g)
- Photosynthesis
Endothermic Reaction
When I mol of calcium carbonate undergoes
thermal decomposition, 222 kJ of heat is
[Chemistry] Chap 17: Energy Changes
absorbed.
Amt of energy produced = 222 kJ
H = +222 kJ
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 Bond Breaking and Bond Making

4. Bond breaking is endothermic (heat energy is absorbed)

Bond making is exothermic (heat energy is given out)

If Hbond breaking is less than Hbond making , the reaction is exothermic

If Hbond breaking is more than Hbond making , the reaction is endothermic

Example: (TB/307)
Using the information provided in the table, calculate Bond Bond energy (kJ/mol)
the overall H for the following reaction. Draw the HH 436
energy level diagram for the reaction. OO 138
OO 498
2H2 (g) + O2 (g) 2H2O (g) 464
OH
Hbond breaking Energy change in breaking 2 mol of HH
= 2 (+436) + (+498) bonds and 1 mol of OO bonds
= +1370 kJ

Hbond making 2 mol OH bonds are formed in 1 mol of H2O.

= 2 [2 (464)] Energy change in forming 2 mol of HOH
= 1856 kJ bonds

Overall H for the reaction Overall heat change, H

= (+1370) + (1856) = Hbond breaking + Hbond forming
= 486 kJ The negative value of the overall H indicates
that the reaction is exothermic.

Note: oxygen gas exists as OO double

covalent bond and not OO single covalent
bond.

Note:
[Chemistry] Chap 17: Energy Changes

The energy required to break a chemical bond is equal to the energy released when the
same chemical bond is formed.
Bond energy is the energy required to break a covalent bond between two atoms.
The stronger a bond is, the more energy is required to break the bond (higher bond
energy)

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 Activation Energy and Energy profile Diagrams

5. Activation energy, Ea, is the minimum energy that reacting particles must possess in order for a
chemical reaction to occur.

6. Energy Profile Diagrams

Exothermic Reactions Endothermic Reactions

Combustion of Fuels

7. Fuels are substances that can burn easily in air to give out energy. The combustion of fuels is
an exothermic reaction.

Combustion of coal (mainly carbon) in excess air for energy:

carbon + oxygen carbon dioxide + heat energy

Combustion of natural gas (mainly methane) for energy :

methane + oxygen carbon dioxide + water vapour + heat energy

Incomplete combustion of methane (when air supply is limited):

methane + oxygen carbon monoxide + carbon + water vapour + heat energy

8. A good fuel must:

Release a lot of heat energy when burnt
Be safe to use and convenient to store
Be reasonably cheap and readily available
Not produce smoke, unpleasant gases or poisonous gases

9. A fuel cell is a chemical cell in which reactants (usually fuel and oxygen) are continuously
[Chemistry] Chap 17: Energy Changes

supplied to produce electricity directly.

E.g. hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell, used as source of electrical power in space vehicles.
Overall reaction is the conversion of hydrogen and oxygen to form water, similar to the
combustion of hydrogen.
A fuel cell differs from an ordinary chemical cell (battery): the reactants are not contained
within the cell but instead are continuously supplied from an external reservoir.

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10. The worlds reserves of fossil fuels are rapidly declining because their demand has increased
exponentially due to the growing world population. There is a need for an alternative fuel.

Hydrogen may emerge as a potential fuel for the future because

It is a renewable energy resource
It is pollution free: only water is produced when hydrogen reacts with oxygen

Problems for hydrogen as a fuel:

Finding a cheap source of hydrogen: most of the Earths hydrogen is combined with
oxygen in sea water. Electrolysis of sea water to obtain hydrogen is expensive, an
alternative is cracking (chap 23).
Finding an effective means of storing the gas.

[Chemistry] Chap 17: Energy Changes

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