Chemical Energetics 1:

All chemical reactions involve an energy change.

The transfer of energy, usually heat, into or out of the
reaction mixture.
For example:
When petrol burns heat is given out.
When ammonium nitrate dissolves in water heat is
taken in.

Chemical Energetics 2:

As chemists are lazy people instead of writing

energy change all the time they use the symbols:

Pronounced delta aitch.

=greek letter delta meaning change.
H=heat.
So, H means heat change.

Temperature Changes 1
Some reactions cause the temperature of
the reaction mixture to increase.
This type of reaction is called exothermic.
Heat energy is given out by the reaction
mixture hence the surroundings increase
in temperature.

Temperature Changes 2
Some reactions cause the temperature of
the reaction mixture to decrease.
This type of reaction is called endothermic.
Heat energy is taken in by the reaction
mixture hence the surroundings decrease
in temperature.

Representing Energy Changes:

The energy changes in a chemical reaction can be
conveniently represented using

energy level diagrams

Energy level diagrams make it easier to decide
whether a reaction is exothermic (gives out heat
and gets hotter) or endothermic (takes in heat and
gets cooler).
See next slide for some examples.

Energy Level Diagrams

This energy level diagram shows a
reaction where H is negative (an
exothermic reaction).

This energy level diagram shows a

reaction where H is positive (an
endothermic reaction).

Reactants

Products

energy

energy

H negative,
exothermic.

Products
H positive,
endothermic.
Reactants

Making and Breaking Bonds:

Making chemical bonds is always exothermic.
Breaking chemical bonds is always endothermic.
All chemical reactions involve bond rearrangements.
Bonds are broken and new ones are formed.

Chemical reactions are in two stages:

1. Breaking bonds, an endothermic process.
2. Making new bonds, an exothermic process.

Reaction Profiles:
These are a more detailed version of the energy
level diagrams previously looked at.
They show the endothermic bond breaking and
the exothermic bond making stages of a reaction.
Reaction profiles can be used to do numerical
calculations on the energy changes that happen
in chemical reactions.
The next slide shows the energy profile for the
reaction between hydrogen and chlorine to form
hydrogen chloride.

Reaction Profile for:

H2 + Cl2 2HCl

Energy taken in
to break bonds.

H, H, Cl, Cl
(Atoms)
Energy given out when
bonds are made.

energy

H-H, Cl-Cl
Reactants
Overall energy
change, H

H-Cl, H-Cl
Products

Calculating Energy Changes:

The energy change for a reaction can be calculated
using bond energies.
Bond energy is the amount of energy required to
break a bond. This value is always endothermic,
endothermic ie.
has a positive value.
When a bond is formed the energy given out is exactly
equal to, but of opposite sign, to the energy required
to break the bond. Bond making is always an
exothermic process.
.

An Example Calculation:

Consider the reaction between hydrogen and chlorine:

to see the
reaction profile.

H2 + Cl2 2HCl

In this reaction one H-H bond and one Cl-Cl

bond is broken and two H-Cl bonds are formed.
The H-H bond energy is 436kJ/mol
The Cl-Cl bond energy is 242kJ/mol
So, the energy needed to break these bonds is 436 + 242 = 678kJ
The H-Cl bond energy is 431kJ
So the energy given out when these bonds are
formed is 2 x -431 = -862kJ
Overall change = 678 862 = -184kJ, an exothermic reaction.
Next slide shows the reaction profile with these values added.

Reaction Profile for:

H2 + Cl2 2HCl

Energy in
= +678kJ

H, H, Cl, Cl
(Atoms)
Energy out = -862kJ

energy

H-H, Cl-Cl
Reactants
Overall energy
change,
H = -184kJ

H-Cl, H-Cl
Products

Summary
Endothermic reactions get cold, they take in heat.
Exothermic reactions get hot, they give out heat.
Bond breaking is endothermic,
bond making is exothermic.
Chemical reactions take place in two
1.
An endothermic bond breaking stage.
stages:
2. An exothermic bond making stage.
The energy changes in a chemical reaction can
be represented using energy level diagrams and
reaction profile diagrams.