The Standard Enthalpy of Formation

Oct 13, 2025 by pynkocean.com 132 views

Introduction

Calorimetry is a crucial technique in chemistry that measures the heat of a chemical reaction. In this article, we will explore the calorimetry data of a reaction between hydrogen gas (H2) and oxygen gas (O2) to produce water (H2O). The reaction is as follows:

${ 2 H_2(g) + O_2(g) \rightarrow 2 H_2O_{(l)} }$

The calorimetry methods indicate that 61 kJ of heat is released to the surroundings when 0.2500 mol of H2 reacts. In this article, we will use this data to calculate the heat of reaction per mole of H2.

The Heat of Reaction

The heat of reaction is the amount of heat released or absorbed during a chemical reaction. In this case, the calorimetry data indicates that 61 kJ of heat is released to the surroundings when 0.2500 mol of H2 reacts. To calculate the heat of reaction per mole of H2, we can use the following formula:

${ \text{Heat of reaction} = \frac{\text{Heat released}}{\text{Number of moles of H2}} }$

Plugging in the values, we get:

${ \text{Heat of reaction} = \frac{61 \text{ kJ}}{0.2500 \text{ mol}} = 244 \text{ kJ/mol} }$

The Enthalpy of Reaction

The enthalpy of reaction is the change in enthalpy that occurs during a chemical reaction. It is related to the heat of reaction by the following equation:

${ \Delta H = \text{Heat of reaction} }$

In this case, the heat of reaction is 244 kJ/mol, so the enthalpy of reaction is also 244 kJ/mol.

The Standard Enthalpy of Formation

The standard enthalpy of formation is the change in enthalpy that occurs when one mole of a compound is formed from its constituent elements in their standard states. For water, the standard enthalpy of formation is -285.8 kJ/mol.

Calculating the Standard Enthalpy of Reaction

The standard enthalpy of reaction is the change in enthalpy that occurs during a chemical reaction at standard conditions. It can be calculated using the following equation:

${ \Delta H^{\circ} = \sum \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{products}) - \sum \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{reactants}) }$

For the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to produce water, the standard enthalpy of reaction can be calculated as follows:

${ \Delta H^{\circ} = \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{H}_2\text{O}) - \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{H}_2) - \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{O}_2) }$

Plugging in the values, we get:

${ \Delta H^{\circ} = -285.8 \text{ kJ/mol} - 0 \text{ kJ/mol} - 0 \text{ kJ/mol} = -285.8 \text{ kJ/mol} }$

Conclusion

In this article, we used calorimetry data to calculate the heat of reaction per mole of H2. We also calculated the enthalpy of reaction and the standard enthalpy of reaction for the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to produce water. The results show that the heat of reaction is 244 kJ/mol, the enthalpy of reaction is also 244 kJ/mol, and the standard enthalpy of reaction is -285.8 kJ/mol.

References

CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 97th ed.
NIST Chemistry WebBook

Appendix

Calculations

The calculations for the heat of reaction, enthalpy of reaction, and standard enthalpy of reaction are shown below:

Heat of reaction:

${ \text{Heat of reaction} = \frac{\text{Heat released}}{\text{Number of moles of H2}} }$

${ \text{Heat of reaction} = \frac{61 \text{ kJ}}{0.2500 \text{ mol}} = 244 \text{ kJ/mol} }$

Enthalpy of reaction:

${ \Delta H = \text{Heat of reaction} }$

${ \Delta H = 244 \text{ kJ/mol} }$

Standard enthalpy of reaction:

${ \Delta H^{\circ} = \sum \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{products}) - \sum \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{reactants}) }$

${ \Delta H^{\circ} = \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{H}_2\text{O}) - \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{H}_2) - \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{O}_2) }$

${ \Delta H^{\circ} = -285.8 \text{ kJ/mol} - 0 \text{ kJ/mol} - 0 \text{ kJ/mol} = -285.8 \text{ kJ/mol} }$

Data

The calorimetry data used in this article is shown below:

Heat released (kJ)	Number of moles of H2
61	0.2500

Introduction

In our previous article, we explored the calorimetry data of a reaction between hydrogen gas (H2) and oxygen gas (O2) to produce water (H2O). We calculated the heat of reaction per mole of H2, the enthalpy of reaction, and the standard enthalpy of reaction for the reaction. In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions related to calorimetry and the reaction of hydrogen with oxygen.

Q: What is calorimetry?

A: Calorimetry is a technique used to measure the heat of a chemical reaction. It involves measuring the heat released or absorbed during a reaction, which can be used to calculate the enthalpy of reaction.

Q: How does calorimetry work?

A: Calorimetry works by measuring the temperature change of a reaction mixture over time. The temperature change is directly proportional to the heat released or absorbed during the reaction. By measuring the temperature change, we can calculate the heat of reaction.

Q: What is the difference between heat of reaction and enthalpy of reaction?

A: The heat of reaction is the amount of heat released or absorbed during a chemical reaction, while the enthalpy of reaction is the change in enthalpy that occurs during a chemical reaction. The enthalpy of reaction is related to the heat of reaction by the following equation:

${ \Delta H = \text{Heat of reaction} }$

Q: How do you calculate the standard enthalpy of reaction?

A: The standard enthalpy of reaction is calculated using the following equation:

${ \Delta H^{\circ} = \sum \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{products}) - \sum \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{reactants}) }$

For the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to produce water, the standard enthalpy of reaction can be calculated as follows:

${ \Delta H^{\circ} = \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{H}_2\text{O}) - \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{H}_2) - \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{O}_2) }$

Q: What is the standard enthalpy of formation?

A: The standard enthalpy of formation is the change in enthalpy that occurs when one mole of a compound is formed from its constituent elements in their standard states. For water, the standard enthalpy of formation is -285.8 kJ/mol.

Q: How do you calculate the heat of reaction per mole of H2?

A: The heat of reaction per mole of H2 can be calculated using the following equation:

${ \text{Heat of reaction} = \frac{\text{Heat released}}{\text{Number of moles of H2}} }$

For the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to produce water, the heat of reaction per mole of H2 can be calculated as follows:

${ \text{Heat of reaction} = \frac{61 \text{ kJ}}{0.2500 \text{ mol}} = 244 \text{ kJ/mol} }$

Q: What is the significance of the heat of reaction?

A: The heat of reaction is significant because it can be used to calculate the enthalpy of reaction, which is a measure of the energy change that occurs during a chemical reaction. The heat of reaction can also be used to predict the spontaneity of a reaction.

Conclusion

In this article, we answered some frequently asked questions related to calorimetry and the reaction of hydrogen with oxygen. We hope that this article has provided a better understanding of the concepts and calculations involved in calorimetry and the reaction of hydrogen with oxygen.

References

CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 97th ed.
NIST Chemistry WebBook

Appendix

Calculations

The calculations for the heat of reaction, enthalpy of reaction, and standard enthalpy of reaction are shown below:

Heat of reaction:

${ \text{Heat of reaction} = \frac{\text{Heat released}}{\text{Number of moles of H2}} }$

${ \text{Heat of reaction} = \frac{61 \text{ kJ}}{0.2500 \text{ mol}} = 244 \text{ kJ/mol} }$

Enthalpy of reaction:

${ \Delta H = \text{Heat of reaction} }$

${ \Delta H = 244 \text{ kJ/mol} }$

Standard enthalpy of reaction:

${ \Delta H^{\circ} = \sum \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{products}) - \sum \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{reactants}) }$

${ \Delta H^{\circ} = \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{H}_2\text{O}) - \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{H}_2) - \Delta H^{\circ}_{f} (\text{O}_2) }$

${ \Delta H^{\circ} = -285.8 \text{ kJ/mol} - 0 \text{ kJ/mol} - 0 \text{ kJ/mol} = -285.8 \text{ kJ/mol} }$

Data

The calorimetry data used in this article is shown below:

Heat released (kJ)	Number of moles of H2
61	0.2500

The data was obtained from the calorimetry experiment and is used to calculate the heat of reaction per mole of H2.