Experiment 3 : Heat Change in Chemical Reactions

Aim : To study heat changes in chemical reaction

Problem Statement : What are the heat changes that take place when ammonium chloride and sodium hydroxide are dissolved in water?

Hypothesis: The reaction between ammonium chloride and water involves heat gain (endothermic reaction) and the reaction between sodium hydroxide and water involves heat loss (exothermic reaction)

Variable : a) Manipulated : reacting substance b) Responding : temperature change c) constant : volume of water
Apparatus : Boiling tube, glass rod, thermometer, spatula, 100cm3 cylinder measuring

Materials: Distilled water, sodium hydroxide pellets, ammonium chloride powder

Procedure :

1. 50cm3 of distilled water is poured into a boiling tube and its temperature 2. A spatula of ammonium chloride is added into the water 3. The mixture is stirred using a glass rod and the temperature is recorded 4. The experiment is repeated using sodium hydroxide

Results :
Temperature / 0C Substance Initial Temperature Temperature after added substance into the water

Ammonium chloride Sodium hydroxide

Discussion :
1. When ammonium chloride is added to distilled water, the temperature decreases, shows that heat is absorbed 2. The reaction that occurred is endothermic reaction 3. When sodium hydroxide is added to distilled water, the temperature increases, shows that the heat is released 4. The reaction that occurred is exothermic reaction 5. The hypothesis is accepted

Conclusion: The reaction between ammonium chloride and water is an endothermic reaction whereas the reaction between sodium hydroxide and water is an exothermic reaction