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Enthalpies for Different Types of Reaction

ChemistryChemical ThermodynamicsFor JEE aspirants

Enthalpy of reaction

It is the enthalpy change taking place during the reaction when the number of moles of reactants and products are same as the stoichiometric coefficient indicates in the balanced chemical equation. The enthalpy change of the reaction depends upon the conditions like temperature, pressure etc under which the chemical reaction is carried out. Therefore, it is necessary to select the standard state conditions. According to thermodynamics conventions, the standard state refers to 1 bar pressure and 298 K temperature. The enthalpy change of a reaction at this standard state conditions is called standard enthalpy of the reaction.

Different types of enthalpy

(i) Enthalpy of formation: Enthalpy change when one mole of a given compound is formed from its elements.

H2(g) + 1/2O2(g) 2H2O(l), H = –890.36 kJ / mol

(ii) Enthalpy of combustion: Enthalpy change when one mole of a substance is burnt in oxygen.

CH4 + 2O2(g) CO2 + 2H2O(l), H = –890.36 kJ / mol

(iii) Enthalpy of Neutralization: Enthalpy change when one equivalent of an acid is neutralized by a base or vice – versa in dilute solution. This is constant and its value is –13.7 kcal for neutralization of any strong acid by a base since in dilute solutions they completely dissociate into ions.

H+ (aq) + OH (aq) H2O(l), H = –13.7 kcal

For weak acids and bases, heat of neutralization is different because they are not dissociated completely and during dissociation some heat is absorbed. So total heat evolved during neutralization will be less.

e.g. HCN + NaOH NaCN + H2O, H = –2.9 kcal

Heat of ionization in this reaction is equal to (–2.9 + 13.7) kcal = 10.8 kcal

Illustration 1. Heat of neutralization of a strong acid by a strong base is equal to H of

(A) H+ + OH- H2O

(B) H2O + H+ H3O+

(C) 2H2 + O2 = 2H2O

(D) CH3COOH+ NaOH = CH3COONa + H2O

Solution: (A) Since heat of neutralization of strong acid and strong base is equal to the heat of formation of water.

i.e., NaOH + HCl NaCl + H2O + Q

Were Q = heat of neutralization

Na+ + OH + H+ + Cl Na++Cl + H2O + Q

H+ + OH H2O + Q


(iv) Enthalpy of hydration: Enthalpy of hydration of a given anhydrous or partially hydrated salt is the enthalpy change when it combines with the requisite no.of mole of water to form a specific hydrate. For example, the hydration of anhydrous copper sulphate is represented by

CuSO4(s) + 5H2O (l) CuSO45H2O(s), Hº = –18.69 kcal


Illustration 2. Ionisation energy of Al = 5137 kJ mole–1 (H) hydration of Al3+ = – 4665 kJ

mole–1. (H)hydration for Cl = – 381 kJ mole–1. Which of the following statement is correct

(A) AlCl3 would remain covalent in aqueous solution

(B) Only at infinite dilution AlCl3 undergoes ionisation

(C) In aqueous solution AlCl3 becomes ionic

(D) None of these

Solution: If AlCl3 is present in ionic state in aqueous solution, therefore it has Al3+ & 3Cl ions

Standard heat of hydration of Al3+ & 3Cl- ions

= – 4665 + 3 x (–381) kJ mole–1 = -5808 kJ/mole

Required energy of ionisation of Al = 5137 kJ mole–1

Hydration energy overcomes ionisation energy

AlCl3 would be ionic in aqueous solution

Hence (C) is the correct answer.

(v) Enthalpy of Transition: Enthalpy change when one mole of a substance is transformed from one allotropic form to another allotropic form.

C (graphite) C(diamond), H° = 1.9 kJ/mol

Illustration 3. The heat of transition for carbon from the following is

CDiamond + O2(g) CO2(g) H = – 94.3 kcal

CAmorphous + O2(g) CO2(g) H = – 97.6 kcal

(A) 3.3 kJ / mol (B) 3.3 kcal / mol

(C) –3.3 kJ / mol (D) – 3.3 kcal / mol

Solution: Given

CD + O2(g) CO2(g) H = –94.3 kcal/mole …(1)

CA + O2(g) CO2(g) H = – 97.6 kcal/mole …(2)

———————————————————————————

Subtracting equation (2) from equation (1):

CD – CA 0; H = +3.3 kcal/mole

CD CA H = +3.3 kcal/mole

(B)


Illustration 4. From the reaction P(white) P (Red): H = - 18.4 kJ, It follows that

(A) Red P is readily formed from white P

(B) White P is readily formed from red P

(C) White P can not be converted to red P

(D) White P can be converted into red P and red P is more stable


Solution: (D)

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