Topic 5 – Calculating Enthalpy changes www.msjchem.

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Calculating enthalpy changes

Some important definitions:
Standard enthalpy change of neutralization (ΔHϴn) - the enthalpy change when a strong acid
and base are reacted together to form one mole of water under standard conditions (with
everything in their standard states).

Standard enthalpy change of combustion (ΔHϴc) - the enthalpy change when one mole of a
compound is burned in excess oxygen under standard conditions (with everything in their
standard states).

Standard conditions: 100kPa, 298K, solutions with a concentration of 1.00 moldm-3 with
everything in its standard state.

Standard state is the normal, most pure stable state of a substance measured at a pressure
of 100kPa).

Density of water: 1gcm-3 Specific heat capacity of water: 4.18Jg-1oC-1

1. Calculate the enthalpy change of neutralization for the following reactions.

a) 200.0 cm3 of 0.400 moldm-3 HCl is added to with the same volume and concentration of
NaOH solution inside a coffee-cup calorimeter. The initial temperature was 25.1 oC, and the
maximum temperature was 27.7 oC.

b) 400.0 cm3 of 0.500 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid was reacted with 400.0 cm3 of 1.00 mol dm-3
potassium hydroxide and the temperature rose by 3.20 oC.

c) 250.0 cm3 of NaOH and 500.0 cm3 of HCl are mixed. Both solutions had concentrations of
0.500 mol dm-3. The temperature increased by 2.10oC.

d) The literature value for the standard enthalpy change of neutralization is -57.0kJmol-1. For
each of the above examples, calculate the percentage error and suggest possible sources of
error.

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2. Calculate the enthalpy change of combustion for the following reactions.

a) A 1.00 g sample of octane (C8H18) is burned in a bomb calorimeter containing 1200.0 cm3 of
water at an initial temperature of 25.0oC. After the reaction the final temperature of the water
is 33.0oC.

b) A 0.500 g sample of naphthalene (C10H8) is burned in a calorimeter containing 650.0 cm3 of

water at an initial temperature of 20.0oC. After the reaction, the final temperature of the water
is 26.4oC.

c) In an experiment to measure the enthalpy change of combustion of ethanol (C2H5OH),

a student heated a copper calorimeter containing 100.0cm3 of water with a spirit lamp
and collected the following data.

Initial temperature of water: 20.0 °C

Final temperature of water: 55.0 °C
Mass of ethanol burned: 1.78 g

Calculate the enthalpy change of combustion per mole of ethanol.

d) Use the values in the table below to calculate the percentage error for each example and
suggest possible sources of error.

Compound ΔHƟC (kJmol-1)

C8H18 -5483
C10H8 -5140
C2H5OH -1058

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Answers
1. To calculate the enthalpy change of neutralization:

a) Calculate the number of moles of acid and base using n=CV

b) Determine the limiting reactant – this will tell you how many moles of water can be produced

c) Add the volumes of acid and base together (assume that 1cm3 of solution = 1g)

d) Use q=mcΔT to calculate the enthalpy change

e) Divide the answer in part d by the number of moles of water produced

f) Don’t forget the negative sign which shows that the reaction is exothermic and give the final answer
to the correct number of significant figures.

a) NaOH(aq) + HCl(aq)  NaCl(aq) + H2O(l)

n(NaOH) = 0.400 x (200.0÷1000) = 0.0800 mol

n(HCl) = 0.400 x (200.0÷1000) = 0.0800 mol

q=mcΔT

q=400 x 4.18 x (27.7-25.1)

q=4347.2J

For one mole of water produced: 4347.2 ÷ 0.0800 = 54340Jmol-1 = - 54.3kJmol-1

b) KOH(aq) + HCl(aq)  KCl(aq) + H2O(l)

n(KOH) = 1.00 x (400.0÷1000) = 0.400 mol

n(HCl) = 0.500 x (400.0÷1000) = 0.200 mol

HCl is the limiting reactant – ratio of HCl to H2O is 1:1

q=mcΔT

q=800.0 x 4.18 x 3.20

q=10700.8J

For one mole of water produced: 10700.8 ÷ 0.200 = 53504Jmol-1 = - 53.5kJmol-1

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c) NaOH(aq) + HCl(aq)  NaCl(aq) + H2O(l)

n(NaOH) = 0.500 x (250.0÷1000) = 0.125 mol

n(HCl) = 0.500 x (500.0÷1000) = 0.250 mol

NaOH is the limiting reactant – ratio of NaOH to H2O is 1:1

q=mcΔT

q=750.0 x 4.18 x (2.10)

q=6583.5J

For one mole of water produced: 6583.5 ÷ 0.125 = 52668mol-1 = - 52.7kJmol-1

d)

Percentage error for reaction a:

(−𝟓𝟒.𝟑)−(−𝟓𝟕.𝟎)
% error = × 100 = −5%
(−𝟓𝟕.𝟎)

Percentage error for reaction b: Negative percentage error means that

the experimental value is lower than
(−𝟓𝟑.𝟓)−(−𝟓𝟕.𝟎)
% error = × 100 = −6% the theoretical/literature value.
(−𝟓𝟕.𝟎)

Percentage error for reaction c:

(−𝟓𝟐.𝟕)−(−𝟓𝟕.𝟎)
% error = × 100 = −8%
(−𝟓𝟕.𝟎)

Sources of error include: heat loss to the surroundings/some heat absorbed by the calorimeter

Assumptions: the solution has the same density and specific heat capacity as water
(1gcm-3/4.18Jg-1oC-1).

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2.

a) n(C8H18) n=m÷M = 1.00 ÷ 114.26 = 8.75x10-3

q=mcΔT

q=1200.0 x 4.18 x (33.0-25.0)

q=40128J

For one mole of C8H18: 40128 ÷ 8.75x10-3 = 4586057.143 Jmol-1 = - 4.59x103 kJmol-1

b) n(C10H8) n=m÷M = 0.500 ÷ 128.18 = 3.90x10-3

q=mcΔT

q=650.0 x 4.18 x (26.4-20.0)

q=17388.8J

For one mole of C10H8: 17388.8 ÷ 3.90x10-3 = 4458666.667 Jmol-1 = - 4.46x103 kJmol-1

c) n(C2H5OH) n=m÷M = 1.78 ÷ 46.08 = 0.0386

q=mcΔT

q=100.0 x 4.18 x (55.0-20.0)

q=14630J

For one mole of C2H5OH: 14630 ÷ 0.0386 = 379015.544 Jmol-1 = - 379 kJmol-1

d) Percentage error for reaction a:

(−𝟒𝟓𝟗𝟎)−(−5483)
% error = × 100 = −16% Negative percentage error means
(−5483)
that the experimental value is lower
Percentage error for reaction b: than the theoretical/literature value.
(−𝟒𝟒𝟔𝟎)−(−𝟓𝟏𝟒𝟎)
% error = × 100 = −13%
(−𝟓𝟏𝟒𝟎)
Possible sources of error include: heat
Percentage error for reaction c: loss to the surroundings/incomplete
(−𝟑𝟕𝟗)−(−𝟏𝟎𝟓𝟖) combustion/heat absorbed by the
% error = × 100 = −64% calorimeter.
(−𝟏𝟎𝟓𝟖)

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