Chemistry Enthalpy of Solution Lab

Chemistry
Enthalpy lab 11/2/2021
TITLE: Energetics – Heat of solution
AIM: To determine the enthalpy change when one (1) mole of Ammonium Nitrate
(NH4NO3 (s)) is dissolved in distilled water (H2O (l)).
APPARATUS AND MATERIALS:

 Ammonium Nitrate crystals (NH4NO3 (s))
 Distilled water (H2O (l))
 Measuring cylinder
 Styrofoam cup
 Beaker
 Thermometer
 Sample bottle
 Electronic balance
METHOD:
1. A measuring cylinder was used to measure out 50cm3 of distilled water (H2O (l))
which was then transferred to a styrofoam cup. The styrofoam cup was then placed
into a beaker for support while stirring.
2. A thermometer was used to measure the steady temperature decline which was noted
and recorded.
3. Eight grams (8g) of Ammonium Nitrate crystals (NH4NO3 (s)) was weighed out and
placed into the sample bottle. The new mass of the sample bottle was measured and
recorded in table one (1).
4. The contents of the sample bottle were then emptied into the styrofoam cup of water
all at once while stirring with the thermometer to dissolve the crystals.
5. The mass of the now empty sample bottle was measured and recorded in table one (1).
6. The lowest temperature attained by the solution was recorded.
RESULTS:
TABLE 1: SHOWING THE MASSES OF THE EMPTY SAMPLE BOTTLE, THE
SAMPLE BOTTLE WITH AMMONIUM NITRATE AND THE ACTUAL MASS OF
AMMONIUM NITRATE USED
Mass of sample bottle with Mass of empty sample bottle Actual mass of Ammonium
Ammonium Nitrate Nitrate used
crystals /g /g /g
15.259 7.272 7.987
Actual mass of ammonium Nitrate used = (15.259 – 7.292) g

= 7.987 g
TABLE 2: TABLE SHOWING INITIAL TEMPERATURE, FINAL TEMPERATURE

AND CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE AS AMMONIUM NITRATE DISSOLVES IN
WATER
INITIAL TEMPERATURE FINAL TEMPERATURE CHANGE IN

OF WATER OF SOLUTION TEMPERATURE
/0C /0C /0C
25.0 15.0 10.0
CALCULATIONS:
Ammonium Nitrate (NH4NO3 (s)) is dissolved in water (H2O (l)) via the equation:
NH4NO3 (s) + H2O (l) NH4OH (aq) + HNO3 (aq)
(ammonium hydroxide) + (nitric acid )
Initial temperature of water (T1) = 250C

Final temperature of solution (T2) = 150C
For an endothermic reaction:
Change in temperature ( T) = T1 – T2
= 250C – 150C
= 100C
Mass of 1 mole of NH4NO3 (s) = 80.04g
1g of NH4NO3 (s) = (1 / 80.04) moles
7.897g of NH4NO3 (s) = (1 x 7.897 / 80.04) moles
= 0.1 moles of NH4NO3 (s) used
where q = Heat of solution ( H)

m = mass of water
c = specific heat capacity of water = 4.2 J/kg/0C
q = mc T
q = 50 x 4.2 x 10
q = 2.1 kJ
Therefore, when molar enthalpy/ heat of solution = the energy absorbed per mole of solute
being dissolved in solvent
heat absorbed in dissolving 1 mole of NH4NO3 (s) = (2.1 / 0.1) kJ
= 21 kJ
Molar enthalpy = 21 kJ
DIAGRAM:
ENERGY PROFILE DIAGRAM SHOWING ENERGY CONTENT OF THE REACTION

BETWEEN AMMONIUM NITRATE CRYSTALS AND WATER
DISCUSSION:
A chemical reaction involves the breaking of the original bonds of reactants followed by the
formation of new bonds in products. Energy is absorbed by reactants to break their original
bonds and released in the formation of the bonds among products. Because of this, there
tends to be an overall change in energy. This change can occur in the form of light energy,
nuclear energy or most commonly as heat energy changes, that is, a decrease or increase in
the temperature of the solution.
The energy content of a substance is called its enthalpy and is given the symbol “H”. The
energy content of a substance cannot directly be measured, however the enthalpy change or
heat of reaction that occurs during a reaction ( H) can be calculated by finding the
difference between the total enthalpy of products and the total enthalpy of the reactants.
( H) = Hproducts – Hreactants
Molar enthalpy can be defined as the energy released or absorbed per mole of compounds
reacting. Heat of solution is the energy absorbed or released per mole of solution being
dissolved in solvent.
Molar enthalpy = ( H) / no of moles of reactant involved

Most reactions have an energy barrier, that is, they require a minimum amount of energy to
“activate” or energize the reactant particles so that they can undergo a chemical reaction. This
is called activation energy. Endothermic reactions require more activation energy than
exothermic reactions. Activation energy does not affect the overall energy change of the
reaction and is thus not included in calculating H.
An overall increase in temperature denotes an exothermic reaction, that is, a reaction that
releases energy to its surroundings. In an exothermic reaction, the amount of energy
absorbed to break the existing bonds of the reactants is less than that of the energy released in
forming the new bonds of the products. This surplus energy is transferred to the surroundings
and causes a temperature increase. The enthalpy change of an exothermic reaction is a
negative value as Hreactants is more than Hproducts.
An overall decrease in temperature denotes an endothermic reaction, that is, a reaction that
absorbs energy from its surroundings. In an endothermic reaction, the amount of energy
absorbed to break the existing bonds of the reactants is more than that of the energy released
in forming the new bonds of the products. This excess energy is absorbed from the
surroundings to carry the reaction to completion, causing a temperature decrease. The
enthalpy change of an endothermic reaction is a positive value as Hproducts is more than
Hreactants.
When Ammonium Nitrate (NH4NO3 (s)) is dissolved in water (H2O (l)) the following occurs:
1. Ammonium Nitrate and water ionize in solution (breaking of reactant bonds) via the
equations:
NH4NO3 (s) NH4+ (aq) -+ NO3-(aq)
H2O (l) OH- (aq) + H+ (aq)
2. These ions then react with water (formation of product bonds) to produce ammonium
hydroxide and nitric acid via the equation:
NH4+ (aq) -+ NO3-(aq) + OH-(aq) + H+(aq) NH4OH (aq) + HNO3 (aq)
The general equation of this reaction is:
NH4NO3 (s) + H2O (l) NH4OH (aq) + HNO3 (aq)
(ammonium hydroxide) + (nitric acid )
The initial temperature of the water was 250C and the final temperature of the solution after
the ammonium nitrate crystals were dissolved was 150C. The reaction caused the solution to
become colder, therefore, the reaction between ammonium nitrate and water was
endothermic. The bond breaking that occurred in the ionization of both compounds in
solution required more energy than the formation of the product bonds.
The enthalpy change of this reaction was calculated to be 2.1 kJ for the mass of reactants
used. The molar enthalpy/heat of solution was calculated to be 21kJ. Both of these values are
positive, once again proving that the reaction was endothermic as the compounds formed had
an increased energy content.
Precautions taken for this lab include:
1. The thermometer was read at eye level to avoid parallax error and obtain accurate
results.
2. The reactants were placed in a Styrofoam cup. A Styrofoam cup is a calorimeter, that
is, it has a relatively negligible heat capacity, disallowing any considerable heat
exchange between the contents within it and the surrounding air. This allows for more
accurate temperatures to be taken and thus more accurate calculations
Sources of error for this lab include:
1. Instead of using a stirring rod, the thermometer was used to stir the reaction. This
could have produced inaccurate readings.
2. A covering was not used for the Styrofoam cup, allowing heat exchange between the
surface of the solution and the surrounding air. This would have produced slightly
inaccurate thermometer readings.
Limitations for this lab include:
1. Although very useful in preventing heat exchange between reactants and the
surrounding air, a Styrofoam cup is not a perfect calorimeter, nor are most of which
are available to students, and some heat transfer would have inevitably occurred.
2. The lab thermometer used was graduated with only whole numbers, preventing
absolute accuracy in the reading of temperatures.
CONCLUSION:
The enthalpy change between ammonium nitrate crystals and distilled water was calculated
as 21 kJ/mol and thus the reaction was determined to be endothermic.
REFLECTION:
This lab was useful as it reinforced my ability to follow proper procedure when reading
temperatures off of a thermometer and using an electronic balance. Industrial applications of
energetics/enthalpy include the manufacturing of refrigerators or the burning of fossil fuels.

Chemistry Enthalpy of Solution Lab

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chemistry Enthalpy of Solution Lab

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chemistry Enthalpy of Solution Lab

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chemistry

Enthalpy lab 11/2/2021

TITLE: Energetics – Heat of solution

APPARATUS AND MATERIALS:

Actual mass of ammonium Nitrate used = (15.259 – 7.292) g

TABLE 2: TABLE SHOWING INITIAL TEMPERATURE, FINAL TEMPERATURE

INITIAL TEMPERATURE FINAL TEMPERATURE CHANGE IN

Initial temperature of water (T1) = 250C

where q = Heat of solution ( H)

ENERGY PROFILE DIAGRAM SHOWING ENERGY CONTENT OF THE REACTION

Molar enthalpy = ( H) / no of moles of reactant involved

You might also like