Energy Changes Flashcards
State the law of conservation of energy.
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only transferred from one place to another.
How does the law of conservation of energy apply to chemistry?
In all chemical reactions, energy is either transferred to the surroundings or from the surroundings.
What is an exothermic reaction?
A reaction where energy is transferred to the surroundings.
Give two examples of exothermic reactions.
Combustion, respiration
What happens to the temperature of the surroundings during an exothermic reaction?
They increase. The thermometer is included in “the surroundings” so shows the temperature increasing.
What is an endothermic reaction?
A reaction where energy is transferred from the surroundings.
Give two examples of endothermic reactions.
Thermal decomposition reactions, citric acid and sodium hydrogencarbonate.
What happens to the temperature of the surroundings during an endothermic reaction?
They decrease. The thermometer is included in “the surroundings” so shows the temperature decreasing.
State two uses of exothermic reactions
Self-heating cans, hand warmers
State two uses of endothermic reactions
Some cooling sports injury packs
What are reactants?
The substances involved in a chemical reaction
What are products?
The substances formed when reactants have a chemical reaction
What is a reaction profile?
A diagram which shows whether the reactants have more or less energy than the products.
If the reactants have more energy than the products, what kind of a reaction must have taken place?
An exothermic one. The missing energy has been transferred to the surroundings.
If the reactants have less energy than the products, what kind of a reaction must have taken place?
An endothermic one. The extra energy has been take in by the surroundings.
