Endothermic and Exothermic reactions are quantities that measure the amount of heat (energy) absorbed and released during chemical reactions . They are studied by thermochemistry.
What’s the difference between them?
Endothermic reaction is one in which there is energy absorption. In this process, energy is produced and is independently maintained.
Birds and mammals have the ability to maintain body temperature stability. For this reason they are called endothermic animals, popularly, “warm-blooded animals”.
Exothermic reaction is one in which energy is released. In this process, the production of energy only persists through the continuous supply of energy.
The change in physical states, in that order: gaseous, liquid and solid, is an example of an exothermic reaction. Each of them occurs as energy is released, that is, when there is less heat.
Note that when we invert this order (solid, liquid and gaseous), there is energy production (more heat). In this case, the reaction is endothermic.
Examples from Everyday Life
Body fat acts as a fuel in our body. The one that is not burned is absorbed by it. As it is an absorption process, it is an example of an endothermic reaction.
When placing a pot on the fire to prepare a food, we are, in turn, facing an exothermic process. This is because the heat that is released will transform this food so that it is consumed.
And what is Enthalpy?
Enthalpy is the energy that exists in all substances and that are altered as a result of endothermic and exothermic reactions.
As it is not possible to calculate enthalpy, the calculation of its variation was established.
Thus, by comparing the standard enthalpy (temperature of 25º C under atmospheric pressure of 1atm), it would be possible to calculate the variation of the enthalpy.
According to Hess’s Law , the final enthalpy minus the initial enthalpy ( ΔH = H f – H i ) results in this data.
If the endothermic reaction absorbs energy, this means that the enthalpy of the reagent (final) is less than that of the product (initial). Therefore, the variation in enthalpy is positive (ΔH> 0).
In turn, if the exothermic reaction releases energy, this means that the enthalpy (energy) of the reagent is greater than that of the product. Therefore, the variation in enthalpy is negative (ΔH <0).