Thermodynamics Basics Quiz

The capacity to do work or transfer heat.

Reactions that proceed almost completely from reactants to products, often requiring some external assistance.

A type of electrochemical cell that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. It typically uses hydrogen and oxygen as fuel sources.

The process of losing electrons.

The process of gaining electrons.

The overall process of a reaction whereby electrons are transferred from one species to another.

The energy required to break one mole of a specific bond in a gaseous molecule.

A process that involves the release of heat energy.

The form of energy that moves between two objects due to their different temperatures. It is the flow of thermal energy.

The energy stored in a motionless object by virtue of its position. It's the potential to do work.

A positive and negative particle (called ions) attract each other. As they get closer, their potential energy decreases. This attraction leads to the formation of chemical bonds between atoms.

The energy of motion. Think of things moving or changing position.

The energy associated with the motion of an object in a straight line.

The energy associated with the vibrational motion of molecules. It results from the back and forth movement of atoms within a molecule.

The energy associated with the rotation of molecules. It's the energy of spinning molecules.

The energy associated with the random movement of atoms and molecules within an object. It's the internal energy of a substance.

The specific object or part of the universe being studied in a thermodynamic process.

Everything outside of the system being studied, including the surrounding environment.

Heat transfer from a hotter object to a cooler one, causing a decrease in the system's temperature and an increase in the surroundings' temperature.

Heat transfer from a cooler object to a hotter one, causing an increase in the system's temperature and a decrease in the surroundings' temperature.

A fundamental law stating that the total energy in a closed system remains constant, even though it may change forms.

The change in energy of a system is equal to the sum of heat transferred to or from the system and the work done by or on the system.

A process where heat energy is transferred from the surroundings into the system.

A process where heat energy is transferred from the system into the surroundings.

The transfer of heat energy resulting from a difference in temperature between two objects.

The energy associated with the random motion of atoms and molecules within a substance.

The specific object or part of the universe being studied in a thermodynamic process.

Everything outside the system in a thermodynamic process.

The capacity for a system to do work or transfer heat.

The total enthalpy change for a reaction is the same, regardless of whether the reaction takes place in one step or multiple steps. This is because the enthalpy change only depends on the initial and final states of the reaction.

The total enthalpy change for a reaction, represented by ΔH, is the sum of the enthalpy changes for each individual step in the reaction.

The enthalpy change that occurs when one mole of a substance is formed from its elements in their standard states.

The enthalpy change that occurs when one mole of a substance undergoes a chemical reaction under standard conditions.

The change in enthalpy that occurs when a substance changes from a gas to a liquid at constant pressure.

The change in enthalpy that occurs when a substance changes from a liquid to a gas at constant pressure.

The total energy content of a system, including its internal energy and the product of its pressure and volume.

A diagram that shows the energy changes that occur during a chemical reaction.

The change in internal energy (∆E) of a system is the sum of heat transferred (q) and work done (w) on the system. ∆E = q + w. Heat transfer into the system is positive (+q), while heat transfer out of the system is negative (-q). Work done on the system is positive (+w), while work done by the system is negative (-w).

Enthalpy (H) is a thermodynamic state function that represents the total heat content of a system at constant pressure. It's often used to describe the heat change in chemical reactions at constant pressure.

The change in enthalpy (∆H) is the difference between the final enthalpy (Hfinal) and the initial enthalpy (Hinitial). ∆H = Hfinal - Hinitial. A positive ∆H indicates an endothermic process (heat absorbed by the system), while a negative ∆H indicates an exothermic process (heat released by the system).

The standard enthalpy change of formation (∆Hf°) is the enthalpy change when one mole of a compound is formed under standard conditions (298K and 1 atm) from its elements in their standard states.

Hess's Law states that the enthalpy change for a reaction is independent of the pathway between the reactants and products. This means if a reaction occurs in multiple steps, the total enthalpy change is the sum of the enthalpy changes of each individual step.

The enthalpy of combustion is the enthalpy change that occurs when one mole of a substance is completely burned in oxygen under standard conditions.

The enthalpy of solution is the enthalpy change that occurs when one mole of a substance dissolves in a solvent.