3.

1 Enthalpy changes

Resources needed:
OUP Chemistry A textbook
Lesson plan
Starter: Students convert degrees to Kelvin.
Main:
Students listen to an introduction to enthalpy changes, reaction profiles and
exothermic and endothermic reactions.
Students answer an example exam question
Students listen to an explanation of enthalpy change of reaction calculations
Students go through worked examples of the enthalpy change calculations as
well as example exam question
Plenary
5 question quiz based on the lesson.

Dr Alex Johnston, Southampton, Richard Taunton 6 th Form College

 Starter: Turn to page 56 of the workbook
Kelvin is the method used for measuring temperature in chemistry.
It sets 0 as being the lowest temperature possible, unlike Centigrade which sets 0°C as
being the freezing point of water.
The magnitude of 1K is the same as 1°C.
So it is easy to convert between the two.
 OCR-A Chemistry Autumn term

Introduction to chemistry Introduction to organic

Enthalpy changes
chemistry

OCR-A Chemistry Spring-Summer term

Acids & bases Rates of reaction and The halogens and

Organic synthesis
equilibrium halogenoalkanes
 Enthalpy Enthalpy change Enthalpy change
changes of reaction of combustion

3. Enthalpy changes

Bond enthalpy Volumes of gases Hess’s law

 Enthalpy changes

Today you will be introduced to enthalpy and enthalpy

changes. You will also learn how to calculate the enthalpy
change of a reaction.
 Enthalpy changes

The learning objectives for this lesson are:

• PTE9i-Explain that some chemical reactions are accompanied by enthalpy

changes that are exothermic (ΔH, negative) or endothermic (ΔH, positive)

• PTE9ii-Construct enthalpy profile diagrams to show the difference in the enthalpy

of reactants compared with products

• PTE9iii-Use a qualitative explanation of the term activation energy

• PTE9v-Explain and use of the term enthalpy change of reaction

Your workbooks contain a checklist of all of the learning objectives for each topic
At the end of each lesson you should rate how well you can do each objective
To help you each objective is linked to a page in the revision guide.

All exam questions and mini-test questions are also linked to the learning objectives
Fill out the front of your workbook

This workbook covers this first half term

They are expensive to printout, if you lose it is on Moodle

and I will expect you to printout another copy.
Your workbook also contains a glossary at the back

As we go through we will highlight the keywords for

you to complete this
Your workbook also contains space for you to take notes

This means you don’t have to ask for paper

 +

Potassium Water Potassium hydroxide

& Hydrogen

Elements and compounds contain enthalpy (Heat energy)

Enthalpy (H): The heat that is stored in a chemical system

It cannot be measured, but in a chemical reaction there is

a change in enthalpy
Enthalpy change (ΔH): Difference in enthalpy between the
products and reactants in a reaction

Δ is a scientific symbol meaning change

Enthalpy change (ΔH) = H(Products) – H(Reactants)

Exothermic: If the products have a lower enthalpy than the

reactants then the sign is –ive and heat is lost from the system to
the surroundings

Endothermic: If the products have a higher enthalpy than the

reactants then the sign is +ive and heat is gained by the system
from the surroundings
 enthalpy profile diagrams

Reactants Products

-ΔH
Enthalpy +ΔH
Products Enthalpy
Change Reactants
Change
ΔH
ΔH

Progress of reaction Progress of reaction

-ΔH = Exothermic +ΔH = Endothermic

= Energy lost to surroundings = Energy gained from surroundings
= Increase in temperature of = Decrease in temperature of the
surroundings surroundings

Turn to page 57 of the workbook

 2Mg(s) + O2(g) MgO(s)
Why doesn’t this reaction spontaneously happen?

Because every reaction has an activation energy (EA)

Activation energy (EA)

EA
2Mg(s) + O2(g)
is the minimum energy
required to start a
reaction by breaking
-ΔH the bonds
MgO(s)
The products have
less energy than
the reactants and
so the reaction is
exothermic
 N2(g) + O2(g) 2NO(g)
Nitrogen and oxygen are major components of our atmosphere, but they
don’t spontaneously react together to form nitrogen oxide

The products have

more energy than
EA 2NO(g)
the reactants and
so the reaction is
+ΔH endothermic

N2(g) + O2(g)
Enthalpy changes can be classified into different categories
This year you need to know about 4 of them

Enthalpy change of reaction (ΔHr)

Enthalpy change of formation (ΔHf)

Enthalpy change of combustion (ΔHc)

Enthalpy change of neutralisation (ΔHneut)

 What are ΔHf ΔHc, ΔHr & ΔHneut ?

ΔHr = Enthalpy change of reaction

This is the enthalpy change when the reaction occurs in the molar
quantities shown in the chemical equation.
 What are ΔHf ΔHc, ΔHr & ΔHneut ?

ΔHf = Enthalpy change of formation

This is the enthalpy change when 1 mole of compound is formed
from it’s elements.
Formation of NaCl
Na(s) + 1/2Cl2(g) → NaCl(s)

Formation of Carbon dioxide

C(s,graphite) + O2(g) → CO2(g)
What are ΔHf ΔHc, ΔHr & ΔHneut ?

ΔHc = Enthalpy change of combustion

This is the enthalpy change when 1 mole of substance is burnt.

ΔHc (CH4) The enthalpy of combustion of methane

 What are ΔHf ΔHc, ΔHr & ΔHneut ?

ΔHneut = Enthalpy change of neutralisation

The enthalpy change when solutions of an acid and an alkali react
together under standard conditions to produce 1 mole of water. It is
always measured per mole of water formed.
There are lots of different enthalpy changes for lots of different reactions.

Over the years chemists have measured lots and lots of them and
recorded them in books of data
Enthalpy changes are recorded in units of kJ
mol-1. This is the enthalpy change per mole
of substance

They also have this symbol ϴ

This means the enthalpy change was recorded
using standard conditions

Standard pressure = 100 kPa

Standard temperature = 298K (25ᵒC)
Standard concentration = 1 mol dm-3
(Solutions only)

The enthalpy changes you will measure will be

different from ones found in a book as they
will not be done under standard conditions
Turn to page 17 of the workbook and complete the question
 Measuring enthalpy changes

Energy changes happen between the reaction and the surroundings

If the surroundings is water you can measure the temperature

change of the water

Every gram of water takes 4.18J to raise its temperature by 1ᵒC

This is also known as the specific heat capacity of water

So, if you know the temperature change & the mass of water you can
calculate the enthalpy change of the reaction using the equation
q = heat energy
m = mass of water
q = mcΔT
c = specific heat capacity of water (4.18 J g-1 K-1)
ΔT = Change in temperature
2 grams of zinc is reacted with excess copper sulphate

100 cm3 of copper sulphate solution

Start temperature = 17.0 ᵒC
End temperature = 35.5 ᵒC
Temperature change = 35.5 – 17.0 = 18.5 ᵒC

Heat energy (J) = 100g x 18.5ᵒC x 4.18 J g-1 K-1

7733 J = 100g x 18.5ᵒC x 4.18 J g-1 K-1
This is the energy released for 2g of zinc, not 1 mol
This is the energy released for 2g of zinc, not 1 mol

Number of moles = mass (g)

molar mass (g mol-1)

Number of moles of zinc = 2g

65.4 g mol-1

Number of moles of zinc = 0.0306 mol (3sf)

 Number of moles of zinc = 0.0306 mol (3sf)
Now you adjust the heat energy so it is for 1 mol of zinc

1 mol = 32.7
0.0306 mol (3sf)

This is the number of times 0.0306 goes into 1 mol

Multiply this by the heat energy to get the enthalpy change for 1 mol

32.7 x 7733J = 252869 J mol-1

Divide by 1000 to get the answer in KJ
252.9 KJ mol-1

Add –ive if it is exothermic or +ive if its endothermic

-252.9 KJ mol-1
 Rules for calculating enthalpy change
1. Calculate the temperature change
(if not already done for you)
2. Calculate heat energy using q = mcΔT
3. Calculate the number of moles of the reactant
4. Calculate 1 mol/number of moles of reactant
5. Multiply the answer by the heat energy
6. Divide by 1000 to convert the answer to KJ
7. Look at the temperature change.
If it increases it is a exothermic reaction, add a –ive sign, if it decreases it is an endothermic reaction,
add a +ive sign
8. Look at the balanced equation, multiply the answer by the coefficient in front of the reagent not in
excess if it is not 1.

Task 1: Copy down these rule into page 59 of the workbook

Task 2: Turn to pages 60-61 of the workbook and answer the question
Task 3: Answer the question on page 62, this will be more like how it will be
presented to you in the exam
Task 4: Read and make notes on pages 124-128 of the textbook, then answer
summary questions on page 128
 Enthalpy changes

15 marks on each of your exam papers are for multiple choice questions. At the end
of each lesson we will practice these.

Turn to the back of your workbook. There is space for you to answer 5 questions.

Fill in the lesson title.

 2 June 2025

Question 1

Which of these describes an endothermic reaction?

A Energy lost to the surroundings leading to an
increase in temperature of the surroundings

B Energy gained from the surroundings leading to an

increase in temperature of the surroundings

C Energy lost to the surroundings leading to a

decrease in temperature of the surroundings

Energy gained from surroundings leading to a

D decrease in temperature of the surroundings
 2 June 2025

Question 2

What is activation enthalpy?

A The minimum energy required to start a reaction

by forming the bonds

B The minimum energy required to start a reaction

by breaking the bonds

C The maximum energy required to start a reaction

by breaking the bonds

The maximum energy required to start a reaction

D by forming the bonds
 2 June 2025

Question 3

Which of these the temperature of standard conditions?

A 25K

B 195K

C 293K

D 298K
 2 June 2025

Question 4

What would enthalpy changes measured in a lab be different to ones

found in a book of data?
A The enthalpy change is different every time

B The reaction in the lab was not done under

standard conditions

C It depends on the purity of the reactants

Different people measure enthalpy change

D differently
 2 June 2025

Question 5

4.18J is the amount of energy it takes to do what?

A Raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1ᵒC

B The activation energy of a reaction.

C The energy given off by an exothermic reaction

The amount of energy taken in by an endothermic

D reaction
 Enthalpy changes

Get ready to mark your answers

 2 June 2025

Question 1

Which of these describes an endothermic reaction?

A Energy lost to the surroundings leading to an
increase in temperature of the surroundings

B Energy gained from the surroundings leading to an

increase in temperature of the surroundings

C Energy lost to the surroundings leading to a

decrease in temperature of the surroundings

Energy gained from surroundings leading to a

D decrease in temperature of the surroundings
 2 June 2025

Question 2

What is activation enthalpy?

A The minimum energy required to start a reaction

by forming the bonds

B The minimum energy required to start a reaction

by breaking the bonds

C The maximum energy required to start a reaction

by breaking the bonds

The maximum energy required to start a reaction

D by forming the bonds
 2 June 2025

Question 3

Which of these the temperature of standard conditions?

A 25K

B 195K

C 293K

D 298K
 2 June 2025

Question 4

What would enthalpy changes measured in a lab be different to ones

found in a book of data?
A The enthalpy change is different every time

B The reaction in the lab was not done under

standard conditions

C It depends on the purity of the reactants

Different people measure enthalpy change

D differently
 2 June 2025

Question 5

4.18J is the amount of energy it takes to do what?

A Raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1ᵒC

B The activation energy of a reaction.

C The energy given off by an exothermic reaction

The amount of energy taken in by an endothermic

D reaction