TITLE: Exothermic and endothermic reactions

NOMBRE DEL ESTUDIANTE: DATE: GRADE:

SKILLS
C1. Using and organising C2. Making and recording C3. Interpreting and C4. Planning, carrying out
techniques and materials observations and evaluating experimental and evaluating
measurements observations and data experiments and
suggesting improvements

1. DESIGN

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Reactions and temperature changes
Energy is conserved in chemical reactions, so the total amount of energy in the universe at
the end of a reaction is the same as it was before the reaction.

When a chemical reaction happens, energy is transferred to or from the surroundings. When
energy is transferred to the surroundings, this is called an exothermic reaction, and the
temperature of the surroundings increases. Examples of exothermic reactions include:

combustion reactions, many oxidation reactions, most neutralisation reactions.

Everyday uses of exothermic reactions include self-heating cans and hand warmers.

When energy is taken in from the surroundings, this is called an endothermic reaction and
the temperature of the surroundings decreases. Examples of endothermic reactions include:
thermal decomposition reactions,the reaction of citric acid and sodium hydrogencarbonate,
photosynthesis.
Breaking and making bonds
During a chemical reaction: bonds in the reactants are broken new bonds are made in the
products.
Energy is absorbed to break bonds. Bond-breaking is an endothermic process.

Energy is released when new bonds form. Bond-making is an exothermic process.

Whether a reaction is endothermic or exothermic depends on the difference between the

energy needed to break bonds and the energy released when new bonds form.

RESEARCH QUESTION:
How can the reactions be classified according to the energy?
HYPOTHESIS
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VARIABLES
Present in part 2
VARIABLE UNITS TYPE HOW TO
(UNCERTAINTIES) MANIPULATE

REQUIREMENTS
MATERIALS REAGENTS LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
Lab coat, nitrile hydrochloric acid, boiling tubes and boiling tube rack
gloves, copper(II) sulfate thermometer
solution, citric acid spatula
solution, sulfuric acid, droppers and stirring rods
magnesium ribbon, iron eye protection
filings, sodium
hydrogen carbonate,
sodium hydroxide
solution, potassium
chloride

SAFETY
Follow the instructions carefully.
Wear eye protection and nitrile gloves Dilute sulfuric acid is an
irritant. Lab coat is mandatory

PROCEDURE
PART 1
1. Put on your eye protection.
2. Put about a 2 cm depth of substance 1 (see the table below) into a boiling tube. Record the
temperature of the liquid or solution.
3. Add either 1 heaped spatula measure or, if a solution, about a 2 cm depth of substance 2.
4. Stir the reaction mixture and take the highest or lowest temperature reached.
5. repeat with all the reactions.

2. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

OBSERVATIONS
Record your results in the table.

Substanc Substanc Initial Final Temperatur Exothermic

e1 e2 temperatur temperatur e change (°C) or
e (°C) e (°C) endothermi
c
Hydrochlori Magnesium
c acid ribbon

Copper(II) Iron filings

sulfate
solution
Citric acid Sodium
solution hydrogen
carbonate
Sulfuric acid Sodium
hydroxide
solution
Water Potassium
chloride

ANALYSIS
In one of the combinations of substances the temperature change is not the result of a chemical
change or chemical reaction. Which one? Explain why this combination of substances could not be
described as a chemical reaction.

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What type of reaction is more common?

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 3. CONCLUSION AND EVALUATION

CONCLUSION

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EVALUATION
STRENGHTS LIMITATIONS IMPROVEMENTS

REFERENCES
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/science/chemical_material_behaviour/acids_bases_
metals/revision/3/

Develop the extra activity, it will be a separate grade.