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Ch.6 - Thermochemistry
Chapter 6, Problem 71

Exactly 1.5 g of a fuel burns under conditions of constant pressure and then again under conditions of constant volume. In measurement A the reaction produces 25.9 kJ of heat, and in measurement B the reaction produces 23.3 kJ of heat. Which measurement (A or B) corresponds to conditions of constant pressure? Explain.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Enthalpy and Heat Transfer

Enthalpy is a thermodynamic property that reflects the total heat content of a system at constant pressure. When a reaction occurs at constant pressure, the heat released or absorbed is equal to the change in enthalpy (ΔH). This means that the heat measured in such conditions directly corresponds to the enthalpy change of the reaction.
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Internal Energy and Work

Internal energy is the total energy contained within a system, including kinetic and potential energies of the particles. When a reaction occurs at constant volume, any heat exchanged is related to the change in internal energy (ΔU), and work done by the system is zero. Thus, the heat measured in this scenario reflects changes in internal energy rather than enthalpy.
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First Law of Thermodynamics

The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. In the context of chemical reactions, this means that the heat produced or absorbed during a reaction can be accounted for by changes in internal energy and work done. Understanding this law helps differentiate between heat measurements at constant pressure and constant volume.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

A 31.1-g wafer of pure gold, initially at 69.3 °C, is submerged into 64.2 g of water at 27.8 °C in an insulated container. What is the final temperature of both substances at thermal equilibrium?

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Textbook Question

A 2.85-g lead weight, initially at 10.3 °C, is submerged in 7.55 g of water at 52.3 °C in an insulated container. What is the final temperature of both substances at thermal equilibrium?

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Textbook Question

Two substances, A and B, initially at different temperatures, come into contact and reach thermal equilibrium. The mass of substance A is 6.15 g and its initial temperature is 20.5 °C. The mass of substance B is 25.2 g and its initial temperature is 52.7 °C. The final temperature of both substances at thermal equilibrium is 46.7 °C. If the specific heat capacity of substance B is 1.17 J/g•°C, what is the specific heat capacity of substance A?

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Open Question
Should you carry out a chemical reaction under conditions of constant volume or constant pressure to obtain the largest possible amount of heat, if there is a large increase in the number of moles of gas? Explain.
Textbook Question

When 0.514 g of biphenyl (C12H10) undergoes combustion in a bomb calorimeter, the temperature rises from 25.8 °C to 29.4 °C. Find ΔErxn for the combustion of biphenyl in kJ/mol biphenyl. The heat capacity of the bomb calorimeter, determined in a separate experiment, is 5.86 kJ/°C.

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Textbook Question

Mothballs are composed primarily of the hydrocarbon naphthalene (C10H8). When 1.025 g of naphthalene burns in a bomb calorimeter, the temperature rises from 24.25 °C to 32.33 °C. Find ΔErxn for the combustion of naphthalene. The heat capacity of the bomb calorimeter, determined in a separate experiment, is 5.11 kJ/°C.

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