IGCSE Chemistry

Chemistry Calculations C

25 Energy Calculation
To break something, obviously you need energy; hence breaking of bonds is
endothermic
When substances form bonds, it's usually to become more stable, and thus
they release energy; hence making bonds is exothermic
Bond Energy
Bond energy is the energy required to break a particular bond. Some bond energies
are given in the table below:
Bond

Bond Energy (KJmol-1)

C-H

+413

C-Cl

+346

C-I

+234

Cl-Cl

+243

I-I

+151

H-Cl

+432

H-I

+298

H-H

+436

F-F

+158

H-F

+568

C-C

+346

C=C

+611

The same amounts of energy is released when each of the above bonds are formed.
When writing energy released when bonds form, we use a negative sign (-) in front
of the value to show that bond making is exothermic.

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How to find the enthalpy change of a reaction using bond energy

H = Energy required to break bonds + Energy released when bonds are made

Q Calculate the enthalpy changes for the following reactions and state whether
they are endothermic reactions or exothermic reactions.
a) CH4 (g) + Cl2 (g)

CH3Cl(g) + HCl (g)

b) H2 (g) + F2 (g)

2HF (g)

c) C2H4 (g) + HI (g)

C2H5I

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Q Draw fully labeled energy profile diagrams for the above 3 reactions

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Measuring energy changes involving solutions

1 Write the formula which is used for calculating the total amount of heat
absorbed or given out.

2 What is Specific Heat Capacity and state its units?

3 What is Specific Heat Capacity of water?

4 Write the formula which is used for calculating the enthalpy change of a reaction

5 Suggest a method that can be used to find the heat of a reaction

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6 Describe an experiment to estimate the heat energy transferred during the

combustion of ethanol.

7 Calculate the enthalpy of combustion of ethanol in KJmol-1 using below data:

Initial temperature of water
Final temperature of water
Mass of water in the can
Mass of lamp + ethanol before burning
Mass of lamp + ethanol after burning
Specific Heat capacity of water

: 17.7C
: 41.2C
: 101 g
: 29.97 g
: 29.59 g
: 4.18 J g-1 c-1

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8 The accepted value for combustion of ethanol is 1370 KJmol-1 (to 3 s.f.) Give
four reasons as to why this accepted value is different from the value you
calculated in the previous question.

9 Describe an experiment to estimate the heat energy transferred when

magnesium reacts with dilute sulphuric acid.

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10 Calculate the enthalpy of the above reaction in KJmol-1 using below data:
Initial temperature of water
Final temperature of water
Mass of weighing bottle + Magnesium
Mass of weighing bottle after adding Mg
Specific Heat capacity of water

: 17.4C
: 27.5C
: 10.810 g
: 10.687 g
: 4.18 J g-1 c-1

11 State 2 assumptions you have made during the above calculation.

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