Experiment 3 : Heat Change in Chemical

Reactions

Aim : To study heat changes in chemical reaction

Problem Statement : What are the heat changes

that take place when
ammonium chloride and
sodium hydroxide are
dissolved in water?
Hypothesis: The reaction between ammonium
chloride and water involves heat gain
(endothermic reaction) and the
reaction between sodium hydroxide
and water involves heat loss
(exothermic reaction)
Variable : a) Manipulated : reacting substance
b) Responding : temperature change
c) constant : volume of water

Apparatus : Boiling tube, glass rod,

thermometer, spatula, 100cm3
cylinder measuring

Materials: Distilled water, sodium hydroxide

pellets, ammonium chloride powder
Procedure :
1. 50cm3 of distilled water is poured into a
boiling tube and its temperature
2. A spatula of ammonium chloride is added
into the water
3. The mixture is stirred using a glass rod and
the temperature is recorded
4. The experiment is repeated using sodium
hydroxide
Results :

Temperature / 0C

Substance Initial Temperature Temperature after

added substance
into the water

Ammonium
chloride
Sodium hydroxide
Discussion :
1. When ammonium chloride is added to
distilled water, the temperature decreases,
shows that heat is absorbed
2. The reaction that occurred is endothermic
reaction
3. When sodium hydroxide is added to
distilled water, the temperature increases,
shows that the heat is released
4. The reaction that occurred is exothermic
reaction
5. The hypothesis is accepted
Conclusion:
The reaction between ammonium
chloride and water is an endothermic
reaction whereas the reaction
between sodium hydroxide and
water is an exothermic reaction