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What are exothermic and endothermic reactions ?
What are exothermic and endothermic reactions ?
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2 Replies
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Exothermic reactions- When we observe that from any reaction a high amount of heat is evolved. This makes the reaction mixture warm. Reaction in which heat is released along with the formation of products are called exothermic reactions.
Example- Burning of natural gas, respiration, decomposition of vegetable matter into compost.
Endothermic reactions- If we observe that while performing any reaction if any form of energy is absorbed or required either as heat, light or electricity for breaking or making the reactants. So reactions in which any form of energy is absorbed are known as endothermic reactions.
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Exothermic and endothermic reactions are two types of chemical reactions classified based on the transfer of energy between the system and its surroundings.
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Exothermic Reactions:
- Exothermic reactions are chemical reactions in which the system (reactants) releases energy to the surroundings in the form of heat.
- In other words, the products of an exothermic reaction have less energy than the reactants, and the excess energy is released to the surroundings as heat.
- Exothermic reactions are often described as “heat-releasing” reactions.
- Examples of exothermic reactions include combustion reactions (e.g., burning of wood or gas), neutralization reactions (e.g., mixing an acid and a base), and certain chemical reactions in living organisms (e.g., cellular respiration).
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Endothermic Reactions:
- Endothermic reactions are chemical reactions in which the system (reactants) absorbs energy from the surroundings in the form of heat.
- In other words, the products of an endothermic reaction have more energy than the reactants, and the system must absorb energy from the surroundings to drive the reaction.
- Endothermic reactions are often described as “heat-absorbing” reactions.
- Examples of endothermic reactions include photosynthesis (where plants use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen), the decomposition of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) into calcium oxide (CaO) and carbon dioxide (CO2), and the melting of ice.
The distinction between exothermic and endothermic reactions is important in understanding the energy changes that occur during chemical processes and their practical applications in various fields, such as chemistry, biology, and engineering.
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