Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions: Info Sheet

In chemical reactions, there is a chemical change – but there is also a change in heat
energy.

This is because the products have a different amount of energy to the reactants.

Reactions can be exothermic or endothermic.

In a reaction, we are interested in the total amount of energy in the reactants and the total
amount of energy in the products.

The difference between the total energy in the reactants and the total energy in the
products will determine whether the reaction is exothermic or endothermic.


Exothermic Reactions

Reminder: in a chemical reaction, the chemicals that we start with are the reactants and
they react to produce the products
Reactants à products

reactants
If the products have less energy than the reactants,
then the energy is released as heat energy to the
surroundings.
products
This is because of the conservation of energy law
energy

(first law of thermodynamics) which states that

energy can neither be created or destroyed; it can
only be transferred.
course of reaction
The energy that is that was in the reactants but is not needed for the products must go
somewhere!

The above diagram shows an energy level diagram for an exothermic reaction.

The vertical axis shows the energy content of the reactants and products. The horizontal
axis shows the course of the reaction (it may be easier to think of this as “time” during a
reaction).

In exothermic reactions, the difference between the energy levels of the reactants and
products is released to the surroundings as heat energy and therefore the temperature
of the surroundings goes up (increases).




Examples of exothermic reactions;
1. Burning of fossil fuels
CH4 + 2CO2 à CO2 + 2H2O (+ heat energy)
Methane + oxygen à carbon dioxide + water (+ heat energy)

2. Burning of magnesium
2Mg + O2 à 2MgO (+ heat energy)
Magnesium + oxygen à magnesium oxide (+ heat energy)

“Real life” examples of exothermic reactions;
1. Hand warmers
2. Fireworks


Endothermic Reactions products

If the products have more energy than the reactants,
then the heat energy is absorbed from the surroundings.

The above diagram shows an energy level diagram reactants
for an endothermic reaction. energy

In exothermic reactions, the difference between the
energy levels of the reactants and products is course of reaction
absorbed from the surroundings as heat energy and
therefore, the temperature of the surroundings goes down (decreases).

Examples of endothermic reactions;
1. Thermal decomposition of limestone
CaCO3 (+ heat energy) à CaO + CO2
Calcium carbonate (limestone) (+ heat energy) à calcium oxide (lime) + carbon
dioxide
2. Cracking of oil fractions
C8H18 (+ heat energy) à C6H14 + C2H4
Octane (+ heat energy) à hexane + ethene
This needs a very high temperature and a catalyst!

“Real life” examples of endothermic reactions;
3. Instant ice packs
4. Photosynthesis
6H2O + 6CO2 (+ sunlight energy) à C6H12O6 + 6O2