Energetics Lab

Aim:
To determine the enthalpy change for the thermal decomposition of potassium
hydrogencarbonate.
When potassium hydrigencarbonate is heated it decomposes to for potassium carbonate. Yet this
reaction is difficult to determine the enthalpy change directly, therefore an indirect experiment is
used that is the reaction of potassium hydrogencarbonate with Hydrochloric acid and the reaction
of potassium carbonate with hydrochloric acid, along with the application of hesss law. The
enthalpy of the reaction of potassium hydrogencarbonate and the enthalpy of the reaction of
potassium carbonate with hydrochloric acid can then be compared to determine the enthalpy
change for the enthalpy change for the decomposition of potassium hydrogencarbonate.

Background InformationThe Decomposition reaction of Potassium Hydrogencarbonate is inconvenient as there is acrid

smoke and fumes, that make it unsafe when conducting in a simple laboratory, that is why
instead of determining the enthalpy change of:
2KHCO3(s)--> K2CO3(s) + CO2(g) + H2O(l)
We find the individual enthalpy changes of the reactions of potassium hydrogen-carbonate with
hydrochloric acid, and the reaction of potassium carbonate with hydrochloric acid:
K2CO3(s) + 2HCL(l) 2KCL(s) + H2O(l) + CO2(g)

H1

KHCO3(s) + HCL(l) KCL(s) + H2O(l) + CO2(g)

H2

With 2KHCO3(s) K2CO3(s) + CO2(g) + H2O(l) being the desired reaction, we need to
rearrange the two reaction and by applying Hesss law we get:
2KCL(s) + H2O(l) + CO2(g) K2CO3(s) + 2HCL(l)

-H1

2KHCO3(s) + 2HCL(l) 2KCL(s) + 2H2O(l) + 2CO2(g)

H = 2H2 - H1

2H2

Data Collection & Quantitative DataGraph of reaction of potassium carbonate and hydrochloric acid (reaction 1)

Temperature graph for reaction 1

Time
0
20
40
60
80
100
120

seconds/ 0.01

Temperature
20.3
22.4
22.8
26.4
26.9
26.7
26.7

degrees/0.1

Graph of reaction of potassium hydrogencarbonate with hydrochloric acid (reaction 2)-

Temperature graph for reaction 2

Time
0
20
40
60
80
100
120

seconds/0.01

Temperature
22.8
22.8
22.7
15.3
13.2
13.4
13.6

degrees/0.1

Mass-Temperature table for reactions 1 and 2

Solution

Mass (g)
0.001

Initial
Temperature

Final
Temperature

Average
Temperature

Potassium
Carbonate + HCL
Potassium
hydrogencarbonat
e + HCL

Degrees/ 0.5

Degrees/ 0.5

2.850

20.3

26.7

Change
Degrees/ 0.5
6.4

3.510

22.8

13.6

9.4

From the above data we can clearly see that the reaction of potassium carbonate and
hydrochloric acid was endothermic in nature as there was a steep positive gradient in the graph
of reaction 1 and an increase in temperature in the temperature-time table.
The data above indicates the fact that reaction which was the reaction between potassium
hydrogencarbonate and hydrochloric acid was exothermic in nature as there was steep negative
gradient in the graph of reaction 2 and there was a drop in the temperature in the temperaturetime table of reaction 2. Further on, there was an indication of an exothermic reaction as when
the reaction was conducted, the polystyrene cup became warm.

Data ProcessingExperiment 1
Average Temperature Change ( reaction 1) 6.4 1.0 C (26.7

Experiment 2 Average temperature Change (reaction 2) 9.4 1.0 C (22.8 0.5 13.6 0.5)
Mass of KHCO3 3.510 g 0.001
Mass of Water 30 g 1.0
We will first calculate the moles of potassium hydrogen carbonate and then calculate the
enthalpy change per mole of potassium hydrogencarbonate
Moles of KHCO3 = Given Mass of KHCO3 / Actual Mass of KHCO3
= 3.510 0.001 / 100.015 (39.0980.001 + 1.0080.001 + 12.0110.001 +
3(15.9990.001)

= 3.5100.001 / 100.015
(39.098+1.008+12.011+47.997)
(0.001+0.001+0.001+(0.1/15.999+0.1/15.999+0.1/15.999))
=3.5100.001 / 100.015 0.022
=3.510/100.015 (0.001/3.510(100) + 0.022/100.015(100))
Moles of KHCO3 =0.035 0.05%
Q = (mass of HCL . specific heat capacity of water. change in temperature) / moles of
= (30 1.0 . 4.179 . 9.4 1.0) / 0.035 0.05
= (30 . 4.179 . 9.4)(1/30(100)+1/9.4(100)) / 0.035 0.05%
= 1178.478 13.97% / 0.035 0.05%
= 33670.8 g or 33.6708 kg 14.02%
Hence enthalpy change/H2 = 33.6708 kg 4.72

Conclusion
Evaluation

KHCO3