Energy and Chemical Changes

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and definitions related to energy, heat, and thermochemistry.

Potential Energy

Energy that is stored.

Kinetic Energy

Energy of motion.

Chemical Potential Energy

Energy based on the structure of chemicals.

Heat

Energy that is transferred from one object or substance to another because of a difference in temperature between them.

Thermochemistry

The study of energy changes that occur during chemical reactions and during changes in state.

Specific Heat (heat capacity)

The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree Celsius (J/gC).

Calorimetry

The measurement of the transfer of heat into or out of a system during a chemical reaction or physical process.

Calorimeter

An insulated container that is used to measure heat change.

System

The specific part of the universe in which we focus our attention.

Surroundings

Everything else outside of system.

Exothermic

Heat is released by the system to the surroundings. Negative

Endothermic

Heat is absorbed by the system. Positive

Thermochemical Equation

A chemical equation that includes the enthalpy change of the reaction.

Hess’s Law

Two or more thermochemical equations can be added together to give a final equation.

Temperature

Measurement of Degrees of hotness or coldness, typically measured in Celsius or Fahrenheit.

Catalyst

Increases the chemical reaction rate with using lower energy