Thermochemistry

A collection of terminology and definitions related to Thermochemistry, focusing on energy, heat, work, and the laws governing thermodynamic processes.

Thermochemistry

The study of the relationships between chemistry and energy.

Energy

Anything that has the capacity to do work.

Work

A force acting over a distance.

Heat

The flow of energy caused by a difference in temperature.

Kinetic Energy

Energy of motion, or energy that is being transferred.

Thermal Energy

The energy associated with temperature, a form of kinetic energy.

Potential Energy

Energy that is stored in an object, associated with its composition and position.

Internal Energy

The total kinetic and potential energy of all particles in a system.

Enthalpy

The sum of the internal energy of a system and the product of its pressure and volume.

Exothermic Reaction

A reaction that releases heat to the surroundings.

Endothermic Reaction

A reaction that absorbs heat from the surroundings.

Calorimetry

The measurement of thermal energy exchanged between a reaction and its surroundings.

Specific Heat Capacity

The amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance.

State Function

A property that depends only on the initial and final states of a system, not on the path taken.

Conservation of Energy

The principle stating that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.

Joule

The unit of energy equal to the amount of energy necessary to move a one-kilogram mass a distance of one meter.

Calorie

The amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius.

System

The material or process being studied for energy changes.

Surroundings

Everything outside the system that can exchange energy with it.

Net gain of energy

Occurs during endothermic reactions, where energy flows into the system.

Net loss of energy

Occurs during exothermic reactions, where energy flows out of the system.

Heat Exchange

The process by which thermal energy is transferred between a system and its surroundings.

Thermal Equilibrium

When two objects different in temperature eventually reach the same temperature.

Heat Capacity

The proportionality constant that relates heat absorbed to the temperature increase.

Chemical Energy

The energy stored in the structure of a compound, associated with the positions of electrons and nuclei.