Exam Questions on Enthalpy Change of Combustion

1. Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH2n+2.

A student carries out an experiment to measure the enthalpy change of combustion, Δ cH, of hexane.

The student finds that combustion of 1.29 g of hexane changes the temperature of 200 g of water from 20.5 °C to 65.5
°C.

i. Calculate the enthalpy change of combustion, ΔcH, of hexane, in kJ mol−1.

Give your final answer to an appropriate number of significant figures.

ΔcH ..................................................... kJ mol−1[4]

ii. The calculated value of ΔcH for hexane from this experiment is different from the data book value.

Suggest two reasons for this difference.

2. A branched-chain alcohol J is a liquid and has the molecular formula C5H12O.

A student does an experiment to measure the enthalpy change of combustion, ΔHc, of alcohol J.

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 i. The student burns alcohol J using the apparatus below.

The student found that combustion of 1.54 g of alcohol J changes the temperature of 180 g of water from 22.8
°C to 75.3 °C.

The specific heat capacity of water is 4.18 J g−1 K−1.

o Calculate the amount, in mol, of alcohol J that burns.

o Calculate the enthalpy change of combustion, ΔHc, of alcohol J, in kJ mol−1.

Give your final answer to three significant figures.

ΔHc = ........................................................... kJ mol

ii. The calculated value of ΔHc from this experiment is different from the value obtained from data books.

Apart from heat loss, suggest two reasons for the difference.

Assume that the calculation has been carried out correctly.

[2]

3. A student used the apparatus below in an experiment to determine the enthalpy change of combustion of methanol.

The student measured 100 cm3 and poured it into the beaker.

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 The student measured a temperature rise of 10.5 °C.

The student calculated the amount of energy transferred to the water.

Which of the following uses the appropriate number of significant figures and correct standard form to represent the result
of the calculation?

A. 4.389 × 103 J
B. 4.39 × 103 J
C. 43.9 × 102 J
D. 44.0 × 102 J

Your answer
[1]

END OF QUESTION PAPER

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Mark scheme

Question Answer/Indicative content Marks Guidance

1 i FIRST, CHECK THE ANSWER ON ANSWER 4 ANNOTATE ANSWER WITH TICKS AND
LINE CROSSES ETC
IF answer = −2510 (kJ mol-1) award 4 marks
IF answer = 2508 / 2507 (kJ mol-1) award 3
marks
(not rounded to 3SF, ignore sign)
IF answer = + 2510 (kJ mol-1) award 3 marks
(incorrect sign)
IF answer = −2510000 (kJ mol-1) award 3
marks
(used J instead of kJ)

...................................................................

Moles
n(C6H14) = 0.0150 mol ✔ moles = 1.29/86.0
IGNORE trailing zeros
Energy
q calculated correctly = 37620 (J) OR
37.620 (kJ) ✔

q = 200 × 4.18 × 45.0

ALLOW correctly rounded to 3 sig figs: 37.6 kJ

Calculating ΔH ALLOW ECF from incorrect q

Correctly calculates ΔH in kJ mol-1
AND to 3 or more SF ✔ ALLOW ECF from incorrect molar mass or
incorrect moles of hexane to 3 SF or more
correctly rounded
Rounding AND sign
calculated value of ΔH rounded to 3 SF
AND ‘-‘sign ✔ IGNORE sign at this intermediate stage
IGNORE working
ΔH = 37.62/0.015 = 2508 (kJ mol-1)
ΔH = 37.6/0.015 = 2507 (kJ mol- 1)

ΔH = −2510 (kJ mol-1)

Final answer must have ‘−‘ sign and 3 SF

Examiner’s Comments

A high proportion of candidates lost marks on

this question for a variety of reasons including
errors in the calculation of moles and / or
energy change. Many candidates did not
express their final answer to three significant
figures and so failed to score the final mark. An
incorrect or missing sign also resulted in loss

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 of the final mark.

ALLOW heat loss

Any two from the following:

✔✔
ALLOW incomplete reaction OR not
everything burns
 Heat released to the surroundings
ii 3
IGNORE reference to evaporation
 Incomplete combustion

Examiner’s Comment:
 Non-standard conditions

Almost all candidates scored at least one mark

for this well-rehearsed practical question.
There was some confusion regarding the use
of average bond enthalpy values obtained from
a data book which was not relevant to this
question.

Total 6

2 i FIRST, CHECK THE ANSWER ON ANSWER 4 ANNOTATE ANSWER WITH TICKS AND
LINE CROSSES ETC
IF ΔHc = −2260 (kJ mol−1) award 4 marks
IF ΔHc = (+)2260 (kJ mol−1) award 3 marks
(incorrect sign)
IF ΔHc = (±)2257(.2) (kJ mol−1) award 3
marks (not 3 sf)

Moles
Amount, n, C5H12O calculated correctly =
0.0175 (mol) ✔

Energy
q calculated correctly = 39501 (J) OR 39.5(01) Note: q = 180 × 4.18 × 52.5
(kJ) ✔ ALLOW 39501 OR correctly rounded to 3 sig.
fig. (J)
IGNORE sign
IGNORE working

Calculating ΔH
correctly calculates ΔH in kJ mol−1 to 3 or more Note: from 39501 J and 0.0175 mol ΔH =
sig figs ✔ (−)2257.2 kJ mol−1

IGNORE sign at this intermediate stage

ALLOW ECF from incorrect q and / or incorrect
n

Rounding and Sign

calculated value of ΔH rounded to 3 sig. fig. Final answer must have correct sign and

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 three sig figs

Examiner's Comments

Candidates coped well with this unstructured

calculation. Almost all candidates recognised
the first step was to use the mcΔT expression
to determine the energy change and
subsequently divided this by the moles of
alcohol J to obtain a value for ΔHc. A
significant proportion of responses across the
with minus sign✔
whole ability range did not include a sign for
the enthalpy change or did not round the final
answer to three significant figures and so only
scored three marks. Candidates should be
aware that when a question includes a
requirement to round the final answer to a
stated number of significant figures, failure to
do so will prevent full marks from being
awarded.

Answer: −2260 kJ mol−1

IGNORE heat loss (in question)

ALLOW burns incompletely

IGNORE incomplete reaction
ANY TWO FROM THE FOLLOWING ✔✔
Examiner's Comments

incomplete combustion This question proved hard for candidates and

although one of incomplete combustion or
ii 2
non-standard conditions reference to non-standard conditions was
frequently mentioned, such responses were
evaporation of alcohol / water often accompanied by vaguer statements.
These statements included reference to data
specific heat capacity of beaker / apparatus books containing average values, or mention
of human or equipment error, e.g. the mass of
alcohol was measured incorrectly.
Consequently many candidates scored one,
with only the best candidates securing both
marks.

Total 6

3 B 1

Total 1

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