Meaning of exothermic reactions with examples
Answer Text: Exothermic reactions:- Are reactions accompanied by a rise in temperature and energy is liberated to the surroundings.- The enthalpy change is normally negative, since heat of reactants (#H_1#) is normally higher than heat of products (#H_2#).- Thus,# H_2-H_1# gives a negative value since #H_1# is higher than# H_2#.Exothermic reactions can be represented graphically as follows;-- In exothermic reactions #H_2# is lower than #H_1#.Examples:(i). Manufacture of ammonia in the Haber process;i.e. #N_2(g) + 3H_2 (g) 2NH_3(g); ΔH=-46Kjmol^(-)#(ii) Dissolving sodium hydroxide pellets in water,-The temperature of the resulting NaOH(aq) is higher than the temperature of water at room temperature.-This implies the internal temperature of products is lower than the reactants‟ original temperature.-Thus (H products – H reactants) =-ve value, an exothermic reaction.