O Level Chemistry (5070)

Energy Changes

 Important Topics to be covered

1. Enthalpy:

Definition and concept of enthalpy change

2. Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions:

Process in a chemical reaction – understanding
Energy profile diagrams for exothermic & Endothermic Reactions
Definitions of these reactions
Enthalpy Levels of reactions & products in these reactions
Energy of Activation

3. Bond Energy:

Definition and calculation

4. Energy from Chemical reactions and storage concepts:

Note about Combustions of fuels

Radioactive isotopes as a source of energy
Fuel Cell

5. Hydrogen oxygen fuel cell:

Hydrogen as a potential fuel for use in the future
Hydrogen as a fuel in space rockets

6. Photosynthesis:
Definition, Equation & Application

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 O Level Chemistry (5070)
Energy Changes
 Enthalpy:
 Definition:
The total energy of a substance due to its internal structure and
physical state is called its enthalpy.
 Denotion and units:
It is denoted by H and change in enthalpy is denoted by ∆H.
It is expressed in the units of kJ/mol.
 Note:
It is difficult to calculate the total absolute enthalpy of a substance. That
is why in chemical reactions, we consider change in enthalpies of a
substances in relative terms i.e. enthalpy change of substances relative
to one another.

 Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions:

 Processes in a chemical reaction:
In any chemical reaction, there are two processes:
1) Bond Breaking process
2) Bond Making process

1) Bond Breaking process:

This is the starting process of a chemical reaction. In this
process,
Bonds are broken And Energy is absorbed

2) Bond Making process:

This is the ending process of a chemical reaction. In this process,
Bonds are formed And energy is released
 Definitions of Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions:

Exothermic:

 A reaction in which energy is given out to surroundings (temperature of

environment increases)
 The energy/enthalpy change ( ∆H ) is - ve because more heat is released in
bond formation than energy absorbed during bond breakage

Examples:

 Combustion of fuels
 Reaction of acids and metals
 Neutralisation reactions

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 O Level Chemistry (5070)
Endothermic:

 A reaction in which energy is taken in from surroundings (temperature of

environment decreases)

The energy/enthalpy change ( ∆H ) is + ve because more heat is absorbed in bond

breakage than energy released during bond formation.

Examples:

 Thermal decomposition of carbonates

 Electrolysis
 First stages of photosynthesis

 Key Point for exams:

In Exothermic reactions, the energies of the reactants are greater than
those of the products.
But in Endothermic reactions, … it’s the opposite i.e. the energies of
the products are greater than those of the reactants

Energy of Activation:

The minimum energy required to make a reaction occur/ to initiate a

reaction
(Ea)

Energy profile Diagrams for Exothermic Reactions:

(involving these two processes)

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 O Level Chemistry (5070)
 Bond Energy:
 Definition:
The energy required to break one mole of a particular bond is called
bond energy.
 Units and Example:
It is expressed in the units of kJ/mol
e.g. the bond energy for H - H bond (in H2) is 436 kJ/mol. The same
amount of energy is released when one mole of the same bond is
formed again.

Method of calculating Energy change:

 Add together all the bond energies for all the bonds in the reactants – this is
the ‘energy in’
 Add together the bond energies for all the bonds in the products – this is the
‘energy out’
 Calculate the energy change: Energy change = energy in - energy out

Equation

Energy change = Energy taken in - Energy given out

= Energy absorbed – Energy released

 Question involving Bond Energies and Overall Change in

Enthalpy:
Using the bond energies given in the following table, calculate the
expected energy change for the following reaction.
Bond Bond Energy 2H2 + O2  2H2O
H–H 436
H–O 464 H-H + H-H + O=O  H-O-H + H-O-H
H – Cl 431
Calculate bond energy of this reaction.
O=O 497
Cl – Cl 242

Calculate the energy change of the

reaction:

H2 + Cl2  2HCl

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 O Level Chemistry (5070)
 Important Question involving Activation Energy:
Why nitrogen gas is very less reactive.

Answer:

Due to triple bond present in its molecule, as this makes the activation
energy of N2 very high.

N=N
And in general, …. Anywhere else as well, wherever no. of
bonds or bond energy is greater, activation energy is higher
and vice versa

 Fractions of crude oil and their uses & a few important notes:
 Fractions of crude oil and their uses:

Name of the Uses

fractions of
crude oil
(1) Fuel gases Used as a domestic fuel and as a fuel in light
vehicles and in light industry
(2) Light naphtha Used as a feedstock (starting material) in industry
(3) Petrol / Used as fuel in vehicles and industrial machines
Gasoline
(4) Kerosene Oil Used as a fuel in aeroplanes and in industrial
machines
(5) Diesel Used as a fuel in heavy vehicles and in heavy
industrial machines
(6) Lubricating oils Used to reduce friction between machinery parts and
& Waxes in the manufacture of polishes respectively
(7) Bitumen or Tar Used in making road surfaces and other construction
purposes

 Note – 1:
Combustion of fuels is exothermic. Infact, the combustion of a fuel has
to be quite exothermic – if it is to be graded as a fuel at all e.g. wood,
coal, natural gas(methane), hydrogen, oil
 Note – 2:
Simple cells are used as a portable source of energy.

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 O Level Chemistry (5070)
Fuel Cell:
A certain type of electrochemical cell that requires hydrogen and
oxygen for its working – will be discussed in the chapter of Electricity
and Chemistry.

 Hydrogen as a fuel:
 Hydrogen as a potential fuel for use in the future:
Hydrogen when burns produces a lot of heat energy i.e. its burning is
highly exothermic. That is why it can serve as a very good fuel. Still, it
has not yet become a common fuel because there is no cheap source
of hydrogen available. Extensive research has been carried out to
produce hydrogen economically
 Hydrogen as a fuel for use in the space rockets:
Hydrogen in the liquid form is carried along with liquid oxygen in space
rockets, Small quantities of these two liquids are mixed, allowed to
evaporate under reduced pressure and then ignited, which produces
an upward thrust quite strong enough to propel the rocket.

 Question about carrying liquid hydrogen in space rockets:

Why liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen are carried along in place of
gaseous states of these substances in space rockets?
Answer:
To carry greater amounts of these substance, as liquids occupy much
lesser volume as compared to the same amount of these substances in
gaseous form.

Quick Check 1:

What are the souces of hydrogen needed in hydrogen oxygen fuel cell?

…………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………..………………

Quick Check 2:

Hydrogen and petrol both are used as fuels. State and explain one advantage
and one disadvantage of using hydrogen rather than petrol as a fuel.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………..…………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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 O Level Chemistry (5070)
 Photosynthesis:

Photo means light and synthesis means to prepare

 Definition and Equation:

It is a process by which plants prepare food and oxygen from carbon
dioxide and water in the presence of sunlight and a green pigment
called chlorophyll.
sunlight
6CO2 + 6H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2
chlorophyl
 l
An important Questions about photosynthesis:
State with reason whether photosynthesis is an endothermic or an
exothermic reaction and why.
Answer:
It is ….
 A few important notes – Miscellaneous:
 Note – 1:
Reaction between hydrogen and reactive halogens is exothermic
 Note – 2:
Photochemical reactions are those reactions which are either catalyzed
by light or absorb light energy to occur e.g. photosynthesis
 Note – 3:
Reaction of methane with chlorine occurs by the absorption of sunlight
(and hence is a photochemical reaction)
 Note – 4:
Addition of water to CuSO4 is an exothermic process

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 O Level Chemistry (5070)
Energy Changes D Titration involves neutralisation between
Worksheet an acid and an insoluble base
For Cambridge O-Levels
4. What is correct out of the following taking
1. What is correct about the reaction between hydrogen
into account photosynthesis as an energy
and chlorine?
absorbing process?
A The reaction occurs first by making of bonds and
A Glucose contains bonds with low bond energies
then breaking of bonds
B Greater enthalpy change is involved in the
B More energy is released than is absorbed in the
formation of glucose than that involved in the breaking
breaking of bonds.
of bonds in the reactants.
C Energy absorbed in the form of light is
С The sunlight absorbed is converted to heat energy.
much greater than that released
D Glucose is soluble in water
D The reaction does not occur

5. What is the route of conversion of energy into

2. Such reactions which occur without any provision of
different types considering photosynthesis and
energy on human part are considered to be
respiration in the same order?
spontaneous reactions.
What is correct statement about spontaneous
A heat energy → chemical energy → mechanical
reactions?
energy majorly
B light energy → chemical energy → heat and
A They don't require their bonds in the reactants to be
mechanical energy majorly
broken
C light energy → heat energy → majorly heat and
B These reactions are not in the need of energy
mechanical energy
absorption.
D light energy → mechanical energy → chemical
C These reactions are normally endothermic
energy
D They involve breaking of weak bonds at
room temperature
6. Which statement is correct for all endothermic
reactions?
3. Which of the following statement about acid base
A catalyst is needed for the reaction to
titration is correct?
take place.
B Greater energy is released than is
A It is an exothermic reaction as it involves evolution
absorbed.
of heat
С the products of the reaction have
B It is an endothermic reaction as it involves
greater enthalpy than the reactants.
absorption of heat
D They are reactions which require heat to
C The total enthalpy value of products of
start.
titration is greater than those of reactants

7. The dissolving of magnesium sulphate in water is an exothermic process. Which graph shows the temperature
changes that occur when magnesium sulphate is stirred with water until no further change in temperature is observed?

8. When steam is passed through white-hot coke, the temperature of the coke falls. What does this indicate?

A Coke is a reducing agent

B Coke contains impurities
C The reaction is endothermic
D The reaction is exothermic

9. The equations for three reactions are given below

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 O Level Chemistry (5070)
Reaction 1 H₂  2H
Reaction 2 HCI  H + CI
Reaction 3 2H + O → H2O

Which of these reactions are endothermic?

A Reaction 1 only.
B Reactions 1 and 2 only.
C Reactions 2 and 3 only.
D Reaction 3 only.

10. When solid potassium chloride is added to water, the temperature of the liquid goes down. Which conclusion can be
made from this observation?

A The process is endothermic

B The process is exothermic
C All solids dissolve with a temperature decrease
D Very little potassium chloride dissolves in water

11. The reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to form water must involve the breaking of bonds between
1 a pair of hydrogen atoms
2 a pair of oxygen atoms
3 a hydrogen atom and an oxygen atom

Which combinations of the following is correct?

A 1, 2 and 3
B 1 and 2 only
C 2 and 3 only
D 1 only
12. The graph shows the proportion of methane in a coal mine during a working day.

What is most likely to have caused the sudden fall in the methane percentage shown on the graph?
A An explosive mixture of methane and air ignited
B The ventilator fans were switched on.
C Methane stopped seeping into the mine.
D The methane was burnt under controlled conditions

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O Level Chemistry (5070)

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