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s we have seen from the explosive reactions that can

occur in coalmines, some reactions give out an
immense amount of heat, while others give out only
small amounts. A reaction that gives out heat
is called an exothermic reaction. The term
exothermic comes from the Greek words exo meaning
outside and therme meaning heat. Explosions are
uncontrolled exothermic reactions. Most of the energy
produced is called thermal energy, but huge amounts
of light and sound may be produced as well.
The exothermic process

Reaction
or process
produces
heat.

Heat energy
is transferred
to the
surroundings.

(LEFT) The energy produced in an

exothermic process comes from
the chemical energy stored in the
substances that are reacting (the
reactants). Many explosives also
produce great quantities of gas and
these gases put pressure on the
surroundings, blowing them to pieces.
(ABOVE) A bomb disposal expert

Gentler exothermic processes

Skiers and mountain climbers often use hand warmers
inside their gloves. These small heat packs rely on
exothermic processes.
One sort, often sold in markets, has a small metal
disk in a supersaturated solution of sodium acetate.
A supersaturated solution has more solute dissolved
than normal. Small cracks in the metal disk hide tiny
crystals of sodium acetate. When the disk is clicked,
these crystals are released and set off (seed) the
crystallisation process. As the crystallisation takes
place, heat is given off. This energy is called the heat
of crystallisation.

A different type of heat pack contains iron powder,

sawdust, salt, charcoal and water. When the pack is
shaken, the iron combines with the oxygen in the air.
The sawdust absorbs and spreads the heat, as in the
wheat bags people use to relieve pain. The energy
given out can keep the pack warm for up to 20 hours.
A chemical reaction takes place because the reactants
(iron and oxygen) form a new product (iron oxide).
The energy produced is called the heat of reaction.
This reaction is described by the equation:
iron  oxygen
iron oxide.
That is:
2Fe2O3(s).
4Fe(s)  3O2(g)
Athletes use heat packs to warm torn muscles. One
type of heat pack has calcium chloride powder in a
bag with an inner bag of water. When the bag of water
bursts, heat is released as the calcium chloride dissolves.
This reaction is described by the equation:
water

solid calcium chloride

calcium chloride in solution.
That is:
water
CaCl2(aq).
CaCl2(s)
The energy produced is called the heat of solution.

Changes of state
When steam condenses into water, the water
molecules lose energy and this energy is transferred
to the surroundings. Similarly, when water freezes,
the water molecules lose even more energy to the
surroundings. Both of these processes are exothermic.

68
Science Alive for VELS Level 6

Go to
worksheet 00

Exothermic reactions
You will need:
3 large test tubes and
test-tube rack
10 mL measuring cylinder
balance
spatula and watch glass
thermometer ( 10 oC to
110 oC)
stirring rod

Place a thermometer in the test tube and record the

temperature.
Add 10 mL of 0.5 mol L1 sodium hydroxide solution
to the test tube and record the final temperature of
the solution as the hydrochloric acid reacts with the
sodium hydroxide.

magnesium ribbon
sandpaper
0.5 mol L1 hydrochloric
acid
0.5 mol L 1 sodium
hydroxide
anhydrous copper(II)
sulfate

Part 3: Dissolving anhydrous copper(II) sulfate

in water
Put 10 mL of water in a test tube and place it in the
test-tube rack. Record the temperature of the water.

Construct a table, like the one below right, to record

the temperature changes in each of the following
experiments.

Use a balance to weigh out 2 g of anhydrous copper(II)

sulfate. Add this to the test tube and stir gently.
Record the final temperature of the solution as the
copper(II) sulfate dissolves.

Wear safety glasses.

1. Complete the table by calculating the increase of

temperature in each case.

Part 1: Magnesium in hydrochloric acid

Put 10 mL of 0.5 mol L1 hydrochloric acid in a test tube
and place it in the test-tube rack. Place a thermometer
in the test tube and record the temperature.

2. Sometimes the energy given out is described as the

heat of reaction and in other cases it is called the heat
of solution. For each of the above, decide in which
category they belong.

Clean a 5 cm piece of magnesium ribbon with the

sandpaper until it is shiny on both sides. Coil the
magnesium ribbon and put it in the test tube of
hydrochloric acid.

Exothermic processes
Chemical
process

Record the final temperature of the solution as the

magnesium reacts with the hydrochloric acid.

Initial
temperature
(oC)

Final
temperature
(oC)

Increase in
temperature
(oC)

Part 2: Hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide

Put 10 mL of 0.5 mol L1 hydrochloric acid in a test
tube and place it in the test-tube rack.

THINK
4 Why would the freezing of water be considered an
exothermic process?
5 Why would the condensation of steam be
considered an exothermic process?
6 The energy given out when calcium chloride
.
dissolves in water is called the heat of
7 When iron reacts with oxygen, the energy given
.
out is called the heat of
8 Explain why the combustion (burning) of methane
is an exothermic reaction.

learning

REMEMBER
1 Where does the heat come from in an exothermic
process?
energy.
2 Another name for heat is
3 The reactants in a chemical equation lie on the
-hand side of the equation.

INVESTIGATE
9 Alfred Nobel, the
Swedish chemist,
made the explosive
nitroglycerine much
safer. Find out how
he did this.
10 Why did he have
to move his
laboratory?
11 What did Alfred
Nobel do with his
fortune? Why did
he do this?

Alfred Nobel (18331896)

I CAN:

69
4. Chemical energy

describe what happens in an exothermic reaction

explain where the heat comes from in an exothermic
reaction
correctly use the terms chemical energy and thermal
energy
understand that explosive reactions are exothermic.

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here are processes that do the opposite of exothermic processes. These take
in energy from their surroundings and are called endothermic processes.
Endon means within in Greek. Endothermic processes cool their surroundings
because they take in thermal energy and convert it to chemical energy.

Reaction
or process
takes
in heat.

Heat energy
is taken
from the
surroundings.

The endothermic process

As with exothermic processes,

endothermic processes can
occur in chemical reactions
where a new product is formed,
when a substance is dissolved
and when there is a change of
state.
Some reactions can get so cold that water vapour
from the air freezes on the outside of the beaker.
Sportspeople use endothermic reactions to cool
injured muscles that are inflamed. One type of
icepack has powdered ammonium nitrate in a bag
with an inner bag of water. When the bag of water is
burst, the ammonium nitrate dissolves in the water
and then draws energy from its surroundings. The
icepack feels cold against the body. This reaction is
described by the equation:
ammonium water ammonium nitrate
nitrate
in solution.
That is:
water
NH4NO3(s)
NH4NO3(aq).

Athletes often use icepacks to treat injuries. The cooling effect

occurs when a chemical process takes place within the pack.

Endothermic reactions
You will need:
3 large test tubes and a test-tube rack
10 mL measuring cylinder
balance
spatula and watch glass
thermometer ( 10 oC to 110 oC)
stirring rod
potassium nitrate
sodium thiosulfate.
For class demonstration:
barium hydroxide octahydrate
ammonium nitrate
2 s 250 mL beakers
stirring rod
electronic thermometer
wooden block
wash bottle.

Change of state
For ice to melt, the water molecules must gain energy.
For water to boil and turn into steam, the water
molecules must gain even more energy. These are
both endothermic processes. Energy is needed to
make these changes happen.

70
Science Alive for VELS Level 6

Go to
worksheet 00

Part 3: Class demonstration barium hydroxide

octahydrate and ammonium nitrate
Use a balance to weigh out 32 g of barium hydroxide
octahydrate into a beaker and record its temperature.

Construct a table like the one below in which to record

the temperature changes in each of the following
experiments.
Wear safety glasses.

Using a second beaker, weigh out 17 g of ammonium

nitrate.

Part 3 is a class demonstration using a fume

hood. Ammonia is one of the products.

Mix the ammonium nitrate into the first beaker and,

using a stirring rod, blend the two solids.

Endothermic processes
Chemical
process

Initial
temperature
(oC)

Final
temperature
(oC)

Squirt some water on the wooden block and sit the

beaker on the block.

Decrease in
temperature
(oC)

Record the final temperature of the mixture with an

electronic thermometer.
Ammonium nitrate is mixed
with barium hydroxide.

Part 1: Dissolving potassium nitrate in water

Put 10 mL of water in a test tube and place it in the
test-tube rack. Record the temperature of the water.

Energy is
drawn from
surroundings.

Use a balance to weigh out 2 g of potassium nitrate.

Add this to the test tube and stir gently. Record the final
temperature of the solution as the potassium nitrate
dissolves.

The bottom
of the beaker
becomes cold
enough to freeze
the water, which
sticks it to the
wood.

Part 2: Dissolving sodium thiosulfate in water

Put 10 mL of water in a test tube and place it in the
test-tube rack. Record the temperature of the water.

1. Complete the table by calculating the decrease of

temperature in each case.

Use a balance to weigh out 2 g of sodium thiosulfate.

Add this to the test tube and stir gently.

2. In which of the above were new substances

produced?

Record the final temperature of the solution as the

sodium thiosulfate dissolves.

3. Write word equations for Part 1 and Part 2.

(f) The washing dries on a clothes line.

(g) Dynamite is used to blast rock for a new road.
(h) Sugar is melted to make toffee.
5 Before being given an injection, the nurse rubs
alcohol on your arm. Your arm feels cold. Is this an
exothermic or endothermic process?

REMEMBER
1 Why are the processes that absorb heat called
endothermic processes?
2 What happens to the heat in an endothermic process?
3 Why do endothermic processes make their
surroundings cold?

DESIGN AND CREATE

6 Create a poster of exothermic processes and
endothermic processes. Give some examples of each
and include the terms thermal energy and chemical
energy.

learning

THINK
4 Decide if these are exothermic processes:
(a) An egg is cooked.
(b) A compost heap gets warm as the compost
decomposes.
(c) A candle burns.
(d) Ice cubes melt.
(e) Hydrochloric acid reacts with magnesium.

I CAN:

71
4. Chemical energy

describe what happens in an endothermic reaction

explain what happens to the heat in an endothermic
reaction
understand that exothermic and endothermic processes
may involve chemical reactions, the dissolving of
substances or changes of state.