Wednesday 30 March 2016

Can someone tell me how endothermic reactions in solutions absorb energy so the temperature drops? I think that the heat and temperature are in...

You are correct that heat and temperature are related. Heat is thermal energy, and energy is defined as the ability to do work. Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of molecules. When a substance gains heat energy its particles move faster and therefore it's temperature increases. Conversely, when the particles of a substance lose energy and move more slowly the temperature of the substance drops. The temperature change resulting from the gain...

You are correct that heat and temperature are related. Heat is thermal energy, and energy is defined as the ability to do work. Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of molecules. When a substance gains heat energy its particles move faster and therefore it's temperature increases. Conversely, when the particles of a substance lose energy and move more slowly the temperature of the substance drops. The temperature change resulting from the gain of a specific amount of energy is indeed directly proportional to heat but varies for different substances according to the equation 


`q = mcDeltaT`


Where q is the heat absorbed or released,  `Delta` T is the temperature change, c is the specific heat capacity for the substance, and m is the mass is kg. Heat capacity relates the amount of heat a substance absorbs to its temperature change.


Your confusion seems to be in the fact that the absorption of energy seemingly causes a decrease in temperature, but that's not really the case. The heat aborbed during an endothermic reaction is absorbed by the reactants as products are formed. It's is absorbed FROM the surroundings. The surroundings, such as the reaction vessel, therefore become cooler. If an endothermic reaction takes place in aqueous solution the temperature of the solution decreases as energy is absorbed from the water. Here's a pneumonic to help you remember this:


exothermic - heat exits the reacting substances (goes to surroundings)


endothermic - heat enters the reacting substances (leaves surroundings)

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