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Ch.7 - Thermochemistry
Chapter 7, Problem 75

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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Textbook Question

When 1.03 g of biphenyl (C12H10) undergoes combustion in a bomb calorimeter, the temperature rises from 24.2 °C to 2931.4 °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.

Textbook Question

Zinc metal reacts with hydrochloric acid according to the balanced equation: Zn(s) + 2 HCl(aq) → ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g) When 0.103 g of Zn(s) is combined with enough HCl to make 50.0 mL of solution in a coffee-cup calorimeter, all of the zinc reacts, raising the temperature of the solution from 22.5 °C to 23.7 °C. Find ΔHrxn for this reaction as written. (Use 1.0 g/mL for the density of the solution and 4.18 J/g•°C as the specific heat capacity.)

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Textbook Question

Instant cold packs used to ice athletic injuries on the field contain ammonium nitrate and water separated by a thin plastic divider. When the divider is broken, the ammonium nitrate dissolves according to the endothermic reaction: NH4NO3(s) → NH4+(aq) + NO3 (aq) In order to measure the enthalpy change for this reaction, 1.25 g of NH4NO3 is dissolved in enough water to make 25.0 mL of solution. The initial temperature is 25.8 °C and the final temperature (after the solid dissolves) is 21.9 °C. Calculate the change in enthalpy for the reaction in kJ. (Use 1.0 g/mL as the density of the solution and 4.18 J/g•°C as the specific heat capacity.)

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