AP CHEM - THERMOCHEMISTRY

Thermochemistry 
 
All chemical reactions involve energy, and the study of energy and its transformations is known as thermodynamics 
 
Energy is the capacity to do work or produce heat. It can't be created or destroyed and is a state function 
 
Kinetic Energy is the energy of motion. KE = 
 
 
 mv2
 
 
Potential Energy is the energy of a position relative to other objects. Potential energy is stored energy that results from the 
attractions and repulsions an object experiences in relation to other objects. Potential energy is usually converted into kinetic 
energy and is energy at rest. 
 
System and Surroundings 
 
The portion singled out for study is called the system (object doing or receiving/reactants and products) 
Everything else is regarded as the surroundings (equipment/containers) 
 
Transferring Energy: Work and Heat 
 
A force is any kind of push or pull exerted on an object 
Energy used to cause an object to move against a force is called work 
 
P = 
 
 W = (F)(D) W = -P V 
 
The other way in which energy is transferred is as heat. Heat is the energy transferred from a hotter object to a colder one. 
 
The First Law of Thermodynamics 
 
One of the most important observations in any chemical reaction and transfer of energy is the fundamental idea that energy cannot 
be created nor destroyed. Energy is conserved. Any energy that is lost by the system must be gained by the surroundings or vice 
versa. 
 
Internal Energy 
 
Internal energy is the sum of all the kinetic and potential energies of all the components of the system. 
 
?E = Efinal – Einitial 
 
Relating ?E to Heat and Work 
 
?E = q + w 
 
Heat absorbed into system (+q) 
Heat released by system (-q) 
Work done on system (+w) 
Work done by system (-w) 
 
Endothermic and Exothermic Processes (Exothermic is favorable) 
 
When a process occurs in which the system absorbs heat, we say that the process is endothermic. During an endothermic process, 
heat flows into the system from its surroundings. 
 
Ex: Melting of ice 
 
A process that results in the evolution of heat is called exothermic. During an exothermic process, heat flows out of the system 
and into its surroundings. 
 
Ex: Combustion of gasoline 
 
 
State Functions (dealing with present state) 
 
q and w are not state functions, even though ?E is a state function. 
 
Enthalpy 
 
Enthalpy is the heat absorbed or released under constant pressure 
 
Like internal energy, enthalpy is a state function. 
 
The change in enthalpy, ?H, equals the heat, qp, gained or lost by the system when the process occurs under constant pressure 
 
?H = Hfinal – Hinitial = qp 
 
The subscript p indicates that pressure is constant 
 
The sign on ?H indicates the direction of heat transfer during a process that occurs at constant pressure. A positive value of ?H 
indicates that the system has gained heat from the surroundings. A negative value of ?H indicates that the system has released 
heat to its surroundings. 
 
Enthalpies of Reaction 
 
The enthalpy change of a reaction is given by the equations 
 
?H = H(products) – H(reactants) 
 
The enthalpy change that accompanies a reaction is called the enthalpy of reaction or merely the heat of reaction and is sometimes 
written as ?Hrxn 
 
The enthalpy of a system is often viewed as a measure of how much heat is stored as potential energy in the system, or its heat 
content. 
 
Enthalpy is an extensive property, which means that the magnitude of ?H is directly proportional to the amount of reactant 
consumed in the process. 
 
Calorimetry 
 
The temperature change experienced by an object when it absorbs a certain amount of energy is determined by its heat capacity. 
We define heat capacity of an object as the amount of heat required to raise its temperature by 1 Kelvin, or 1 degree Celsius. 
 
The heat capacity of one mol of a substance is called its molar heat capacity. The heat capacity of one gram of substance is called 
its specific heat capacity or merely its specific heat. 
 
q = (Cp)(m)(?T) 
 
For example, 209 J is required to increase the temperature of 50.0 grams of water by 1.00 K. Thus, the specific heat of water is 
 
209J = (Cp)(50.0g)(1.00K) = 4.18 J/g-K 
 
Constant – Pressure Calorimetry 
 
A coffee cup calorimeter is often used in general chemistry labs to illustrate the principles of calorimetry. Because the 
calorimeter is not sealed, the reaction occurs under the essentially constant pressure of the atmosphere. 
 Andrew Rosen 
qsoln = -qrxn 
 
qsoln = (specific heat of solution)(grams of solution)(?T) = -qrxn 
 
qp = E +P V 
 
 
Bomb Calorimetry (Constant – Volume Calorimetry) 
 
Combustion reactions, usually involving an organic compound, reacts with oxygen and is conveniently studied in a Bomb 
Calorimeter. 
 
To calculate the heat of combustion from the measured temperature increase in the bomb calorimeter, it is necessary to know the 
heat capacity of the calorimeter, Ccal 
This measurement can be achieved by combusting a sample that releases a known quantity of heat. For example, it is known that 
combustion of exactly 1 gram of benzoic acid in a bomb calorimeter produces 26.38 kJ of heat. Suppose that 1.000 grams of 
benzoic acid is combusted in a calorimeter and it causes a temperature increase of 4.857 degrees Celsius. The heat capacity of the 
calorimeter is then given by 
 
Ccal = 26.38 kJ / 4.857 degrees Celsius = 5.431 kJ / degree Celsius 
 
Once we know the Ccal, we can measure temperature changes produced by other reactions, and from these we can calculate the 
heat involved in the reaction, qrxn 
 
qrxn = (-Ccal)(?T) 
 
Hess’s Law of Heat Summation (Easier to go from high to low) 
 
 ∑ ∑ 
 
Long list of equations. Use your imagination and manipulate them. Can use fractions. 
 
When switching reactants and products flip the sign of H 
 
When multiplying reactions by a constant also multiply the value of H by a constant 
 
Add and subtract correct values of H when canceling reactions and producing the net equation 
 
Combustion reactions are extremely exothermic (very favorable) 
 
Enthalpies of Formation 
 
The standard enthalpy of a reaction is defined as the enthalpy change when all the reactants and products are in their standard 
states. We denote a standard enthalpy as ?Ho
, where the superscript o
 indicates standard state conditions (1 atm and 298 K) 
 
The standard enthalpy of formation of a compound, ?Hf
o
, is the change in enthalpy for the reaction that forms 1 mol of the 
compound from its elements, with all substances in their standard states. 
 
By definition, the standard enthalpy of formation of the most stable form of any element is zero because there is no formation 
reaction needed when the element is already in its standard state. Thus, the values of ?Hf
o
 for C(graphite), H2(g), O2(g), and the 
standard states of other elements are zero by definition. 
 
Foods and Fuels 
 
The energy released when 1 gram of a material is combusted is often called its fuel value. Because fuel values represent the heat 
released in a combustion, fuel values are positive numbers. 
 
Foods 
 
Most of the energy our bodies need comes from carbohydrates and fats. Carbohydrates are decomposed in the intestines into 
glucose. Glucose is soluble in blood, and in the human body, it is known as blood sugar. It is transported by the blood to cells, 
where it reacts with O2(g), H2O(l), and energy. 
 
The average fuel value of carbohydrates is 17 kJ/g 
 
Fats also produce CO2 and H2O in their metabolism and in their combustion in a bomb calorimeter. Fats are well suited to serve 
as the body’s energy reserve for two reasons. They are insoluble in water, which permits their storage in the body; and the 
produce more energy per gram then either proteins or carbohydrates. 
 
The average fuel value of carbohydrates is 38 kJ/g 
 
Proteins are used by the body mainly as building materials for organ walls, skin, hair, muscle, and so forth. 
 
The average fuel value of proteins is 17 kJ/g 
 
Fuels 
 
During the complete combustion of fuels, carbon is converted to CO2 and hydrogen is converted to H2O, both of which have large negativde enthalpalies.