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2uch core Experiment: Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions

endothermic and exothermic reactions

AMMONIUM NITRATE

MARCH 21, 2024

Hektor HYll-Müller with Carl Møller
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2uch core Experiment: Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions

Introduction:
In this experiment we will be measuring the enthalpy change in an endothermic reaction. This
will be done by measuring the change in temperature in NH4NO3 (ammonium nitrate) mixed with H2O
(water). We will then record the mass (m) of both the water and the ammonium nitrate, the initial and
final temperature (Ti and Tf) and the time of mixing. By doing so we will be able to calculate the

number of moles (n), the reaction enthalpy (∆𝐻𝑇𝑖 ) and the molar reaction enthalpy (∆𝐻𝑟𝑥𝑛).

Theory:
The principle behind this experiment is based on the concept of calorimetry, which involves
measuring heat changes that are present in chemical reactions. By using a calorimeter, the heat
released or absorbed during the reaction can be quantified indirectly by measuring the temperature
change of the surrounding system. Since we are using ammonium nitrate in this experiment the
reaction will be endothermic, this means that heat is absorbed by the solution and the temperature will
drop. The energy stored in the reactants is less than the energy stored in the products, so the reaction
takes in energy and the surroundings lose temperature. By measuring the temperature change during
the experiment, we will be able to deduce the amount of heat that was absorbed during the reaction
and therefore calculate the enthalpy change.

Figure 1: The energy change in an endothermic reaction

Variables:
Independent variable: The mass of ammonium nitrate that we will be mixing into the water.
Dependent variable: We are measuring the reaction enthalpy in this reaction.
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2uch core Experiment: Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions

Controlled variable:
Table 1: The variables that need to be controlled during this experiment.
Mass of the water
Thermometer
Why does it need to be controlled
We need to keep the mass of the
water constant as if this changes the
ratio of the reactants is unequal and
our data will be inaccurate.
The thermometer needs to be the
same every time as different
thermometers have different settings
and might not be accurate to the
same level.
How we will control it
We will keep this controlled by
using 50ml of distilled water
every time.
By using the same thermometer
each time, we will control this
variable.

Materials:
- Ammonium Nitrate (4.2255g ±0.0001g)
- Distilled water (50.0g ±1.0g)
- Thermometer
- Graduated cylinder 100ml (±1.0)
- Styrofoam cup
- Computer w/ Logger Pro
- Scale (±0.0001)

Method:

1. Setup the experiment as shown in the picture on the cover page. Make sure that the
thermometer is down far enough so that it touches the water, but not the bottom of the cup.

2. Setup the LoggerPro data collection making sure that temperature is on the y-axis and time is on the x-
axis.
3. Measure 50.0 cm3 water in a graduated cylinder.
4. Weigh approximately 4 g of ammonium nitrate to a precision of at least 3 decimals.
5. Record the mass of the water and the ammonium nitrate in the test box in the LoggerPro file.
6. Add the water to the styrofoam cup.
7. Click on the “Start Data Collection”-icon, on Logger Pro.
8. Collect for at least 20 s, then quickly add the ammonium nitrate, and swirl the contents in the
calorimeter to stir. Record the time which you add the ammonium nitrate.
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2uch core Experiment: Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions

9. Mix the solution by gently moving the cup in a circular motion around the thermometer.
10. The temperature should now start falling. Continue collecting data for at least 30 s beyond the
temperature minimum (where the temperature stops falling).
11. Click on the “Stop”-icon, on LoggerPro.
12. Calculate the final temperature and the final mass of the solution.
13. Calculate the reaction enthalpy at the initial temperature using the change in temperature, mass,
and specific heat capacity.
14. Calculate the amount of substance of the solid compound (the number of moles, n).
15. Calculate the molar reaction enthalpy using the initial reaction enthalpy.

Safety:
Always keep the ammonium nitrate away from your eyes as it causes eye irritation. Wash your hands
after handling the ammonium nitrate as it also causes skin irritation.

Graph:

Figure 2: Shows the temperature - time graph of the experiment

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2uch core Experiment: Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions

Data:
Raw Data:
Table 2: Mass and temperature data for the constant pressure calorimeter experiment

𝑚⁄ 𝑛⁄ LoggerPro ∆𝑇⁄
compound g 𝑇𝑖/℃ 𝑡𝑚𝑖𝑥/s 𝑇𝑓/℃
mol Equation ℃

Uncertainty ±0.1
±0.0001 ±0.1 ±1.0 ±0.02148 ±0.1 ±0.2
NH4NO3(s)
4.2255 0.053 21.6 24.0 0.00109t/s+15.33 15.4 -6.2

Calculations:
∆T
Change in temperature: =T f −T i → ∆ T =15.4−21.6
℃

∆ T =−6.2℃

n m 4.2255
Number of moles: = →n=
mol Molar mass ( M ) 80.04
n=0.053 mol
Uncertainties:
The uncertainty for the mass of the ammonium nitrate is ±0.0001g as we used a digital scale, and
the smallest scale division is to 4 decimal places.
The uncertainty for the temperature is ±0.1oC as once again the thermometer was digital, and the
smallest scale division was to 1 decimal place.
Finally, there is the uncertainty for the tmix, the time was taken by LoggerPro and was done in
seconds, therefore the uncertainty is ±1.0 seconds.

Change in temperature: ∆ ( ∆℃T )=∆T + ∆ T → ∆ ( ∆ T )=0.1+ 0.1

f i

∆ ( ∆ T ) =± 0.2℃
As we are finding the difference of the temperature, we have to add the uncertainties and we end up
with ±0.2oC

( )( )
−1
n ∆m ∆M 0.0001 g 0.01 g ∙ mol
Number of moles: ∆ = + ∙ n → ∆ n=( + )∙ 0.053
mol m M 4.2255 g 80.04 g∙ mo l−1
−6
∆ nN H 4
N O3 =± 7.9 ∙1 0 mol
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2uch core Experiment: Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions

For the uncertainty of the number of moles we had to use both the uncertainty of the mass, which
was given earlier, and the uncertainty for the molar mass. To find the uncertainty for the molar
mass I decided to go with ±0.01 as the given value for the molar mass was also to two decimal
places. By doing this we ended up with a very small number for the uncertainty of the number of
moles.

Processed Data:
Table 2: Results for the molar reaction enthalpy for dissolving of a solid in 50.0 cm3 water
𝑚⁄ 𝑚H2O(𝘗) 𝑚𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ∆𝐻𝑟𝑥𝑛
compound g ⁄ ∆𝑇⁄ ∆𝐻𝑇𝑖/kJ
g ⁄g ℃ kJ mol−1
Uncertainty
±0.0001 ±1.0 ±1.0 ±0.2 ±0.07 ±1.3
NH4NO3(s)
4.2255 50.0 54.2 -6.2 1.4 26

Calculations:

Reaction enthalpy:
−1 −1
∆ H T =−msolution ∙ c H
i 2 O ( P) ∙ ∆ T → ∆ H T =−54.2 g ∙ 4.186 J g ℃ ∙−6.2℃
i

∆ H T =1407 J → ∆ H T =1.4 kJ
i i

Molar reaction enthalpy

∆ HT 1.4 kJ
∆ H rxn = i
→ ∆ H rxn=
nN H 4 N O3 0.053 mol
−1
∆ H rxn =26 kJ mol
Uncertainties:
Looking at the uncertainties for the processed data, the first thing you must look at is the mass of
the ammonium nitrate, water, and the whole solution.
- The mass of the solid stays the same at ±0.0001g.
- The mass of the water is given by the graduated cylinder, to be ±1.0g
- To find the total uncertainty we add these values together which gives us ±1.0001, however
we can write this as ±1.0 as it will not change anything compared to the number of
significant figures we are using.
The uncertainty for the temperature stays the same from the raw data at ±0.2oC.
Now looking at the reaction enthalpy we have to use the same format as for the number of moles:
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2uch core Experiment: Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions

∆ msol ∆ c H O ∆ ( ∆ T )
∆ ( ∆ H T ) =( + + 2
)∙ ∆ H T
i
msol cH O ∆T 2
i

−1 −1
1.0 g 0J g ℃ 0.2℃
∆ ( ∆ H T ) =( + −1 −1
+ )∙ 1.4 kJ
i
54.2 g 4.186 J g ℃ 6.2℃
∆ ( ∆ H T ) =± 0.07 kJ
i

By using the uncertainty of mass and of temperature we can find the uncertainty for the reaction
enthalpy. In addition, as the specific heat capacity is a literature data, something that is universal,
there is no uncertainty and can therefore be disregarded.

Using what we already figured out above, we can figure out the uncertainty for the molar reaction
enthalpy:
∆ msol ∆ c H O ∆ ( ∆ T ) ∆ n
∆ ( ∆ H rxn )=( + + 2
+ ) ∙ ∆ H rxn
msol cH O ∆T
2
n
−1 −1 −6
1.0 g 0J g ℃ 0.2 ℃ 7.9 ∙ 10 mol
∆ ( ∆ H rxn )=( + −1 −1
+ + )∙ 26 kJ
54.2 g 4.186 J g ℃ 6.2 ℃ 0.053 mol
−1
∆ ( ∆ H rxn )=± 1.3 kJ mol
The only thing that is different from the reaction enthalpy is that we added the uncertainty for the
number of moles and the number of moles into the equation, as well as multiplying by the molar
reaction enthalpy.

At the end of all these calculations with uncertainty we can see that the final value that we got for
the molar reaction enthalpy is 26 ± 1.3 kJ mo l−1.

Conclusion:
The aim of this experiment was to see what happens when ammonium nitrate and water is mixed in
a thermally insulated container. When we then look at the data that we have collected we can see
that it formed an endothermic reaction. This is proved by the fact that the reaction enthalpy change
that we calculated in the process data is positive. Since the internal energy of the products is higher
than the internal energy of the reactants, due to the heat being absorbed, the enthalpy change is
positive. If the reaction had been exothermic, the enthalpy change would have been negative as the
heat was being released.
We also calculated the molar reaction enthalpy, which is the chemical reaction per mole, this can
be used to calculate the heat transfer that was being absorbed during this reaction.

Evaluation:

Weaknesses What we did wrong Improvements


2uch core Experiment: Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions
Measuring out the When we were measuring out the
water water, we used a 100 ml graduated
cylinder. This meant that the
uncertainty of the mass of the water
was at ±1.0g which is quite high and
affects the rest of the uncertainties.
Incomplete mixing When mixing the ammonium nitrate
together with the water, there was not
a fixed time that we had to mix for,
therefore we might not have mixed the
reactants together for long enough
which could prove to give inaccurate
results.
Impurities The water and the ammonium nitrate
that we used might not have been pure
as they were left out in the open a bit
before we mixed them together. This
might have some effects on the
reaction between the two.
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To improve this, we could
have used a 50ml graduated
cylinder as the uncertainty
would have been much less.
To improve this, we could
have mixed for longer as this
would only affect our results
positively.
Made sure that we only took
out the reactants right as we
were about to use them to
insure they were kept as pure
as possible.