In an industrial process to produce ammonia (NH3); nitrogen, N2, reacts with hydrogen, H2, the enthalpy change (∆H) is – 46 kJ/mol. Write a correctly balanced equation for this reaction. Would this reaction absorb heat or give out heat to the environment?
Thermochemistry
Thermochemistry can be considered as a branch of thermodynamics that deals with the connections between warmth, work, and various types of energy, formed because of different synthetic and actual cycles. Thermochemistry describes the energy changes that occur as a result of reactions or chemical changes in a substance.
Exergonic Reaction
The term exergonic is derived from the Greek word in which ‘ergon’ means work and exergonic means ‘work outside’. Exergonic reactions releases work energy. Exergonic reactions are different from exothermic reactions, the one that releases only heat energy during the course of the reaction. So, exothermic reaction is one type of exergonic reaction. Exergonic reaction releases work energy in different forms like heat, light or sound. For example, a glow stick releases light making that an exergonic reaction and not an exothermic reaction since no heat is released. Even endothermic reactions at very high temperature are exergonic.
- In an industrial process to produce ammonia (NH3); nitrogen, N2, reacts with hydrogen, H2, the enthalpy change (∆H) is – 46 kJ/mol. Write a correctly balanced equation for this reaction. Would this reaction absorb heat or give out heat to the environment?
Ammonia can be produced in an industry with the help of nitrogen and hydrogen gas, and this process is known as the Haber-Bosch process.
The balanced chemical equation for the reaction is:
The enthalpy change for the formation of ammonia is :
Based on the value of enthalpy change, the reaction can be exothermic or endothermic in nature.
If the reaction is exothermic: the reaction will give the energy from the system to the surrounding. And the enthalpy change
will be negative
If the reaction is endothermic: the reaction will take or receive the energy from the system to the surrounding. And the enthalpy change
will be positive
Step by step
Solved in 3 steps with 5 images
