Think about the last time you took a bath. Over time, the water becomes warm and then cool. Did you ever wonder why the water became cold? Or, where the heat from the bath goes? The answers are found in thermochemistry. Thermochemistry is also known as chemical thermodynamics. During this module, you will investigate how heat and energy relate to one another within a chemical reaction. In addition, you will explore concepts such as heat changes associated with chemical reactions, catalysts, activation energy, reaction profiles, entropy, thermostoichiometry, free energy, phase change calculations, specific heat capacity, and calorimetry. Once you have completed this study, you will know why your bath cools and where its energy goes.
Getting Started
Your investigation of thermochemistry begins by exploring heat changes associated with chemical reactions. In this study, you will learn about the system, surroundings, and if a reaction is exothermic or endothermic. To get started, think about the following scenario and try and come up with answers to the questions. In this scenario, a candle is burning in a dark room.
Key Vocabulary
To view the definitions for these key vocabulary terms, visit the course glossary.
activation energy | enzyme | molar heat of fusion |
calorie | exothermic | molar heat of vaporization |
calorimeter | free energy | specific heat capacity |
calorimetry | freezing | stoichiometry |
catalyst | heat capacity | sublimation |
condensation | Hess’s Law | surroundings |
deposition | heterogeneous catalyst | system |
endothermic | homogeneous catalyst | vaporization |
enthalpy | melting | |
entropy | molar heat of condensation |