Energy diagrams visually show the energy change during a reaction.
Exothermic Diagram
Reactants are at a higher energy level
Products are at a lower energy level
ΔH arrow points downward (negative)
The difference = energy released to surroundings
Endothermic Diagram
Reactants are at a lower energy level
Products are at a higher energy level
ΔH arrow points upward (positive)
The difference = energy absorbed from surroundings
Key Relationship
Energy Fundamentals Quiz 🎯
Classify the Process 🧮
Type "exothermic" or "endothermic" for each process:
1) Water freezing into ice
2) Dissolving ammonium nitrate in water (the solution feels cold)
3) Burning natural gas on a stove
System and Energy Flow 🔽
Exit Quiz — Energy Fundamentals ✅
Part 2: Exothermic & Endothermic
🌡️ Enthalpy (ΔH) — The Heat of Reaction
Part 2 of 7 — State Functions and Standard Enthalpy
Topics in This Part
Section
📖 What Is Enthalpy?
At Constant Pressure
Key Signs
🌡️ Enthalpy Is a State Function
What This Means
🔑 Key Concept: Mastering this material will strengthen your foundation for both the AP Chemistry exam and more advanced chemistry topics.
What You'll Master in Part 2
Understanding the core concepts covered in Part 2
Applying these ideas to solve practice problems
Building toward AP exam readiness for this topic
📖 What Is Enthalpy?
Enthalpy (H) is defined as:
H
Part 3: Coffee Cup Calorimetry
☕ Calorimetry — Measuring Heat
Part 3 of 7 — q = mcΔT and the Coffee-Cup Calorimeter
Topics in This Part
Section
📌 The Heat Equation
Specific Heat Capacity
📌 The Coffee-Cup Calorimeter
How It Works
Key Assumptions
🔑 Key Concept: Mastering this material will strengthen your foundation for both the AP Chemistry exam and more advanced chemistry topics.
What You'll Master in Part 3
Understanding the core concepts covered in Part 3
Applying these ideas to solve practice problems
Building toward AP exam readiness for this topic
📌 The Heat Equation
Part 4: Bomb Calorimetry
💣 Bomb Calorimetry
Part 4 of 7 — Constant-Volume Calorimetry
Topics in This Part
Section
🏗️ Bomb Calorimeter Structure
Key Feature: Constant Volume
Relationship Between ΔH and ΔE
📌 Heat Capacity of the Calorimeter
Important Distinction
🔑 Key Concept: Mastering this material will strengthen your foundation for both the AP Chemistry exam and more advanced chemistry topics.
What You'll Master in Part 4
Understanding the core concepts covered in Part 4
Applying these ideas to solve practice problems
Building toward AP exam readiness for this topic
🏗️ Bomb Calorimeter Structure
A bomb calorimeter consists of:
Part 5: Hess's Law
🔄 Hess's Law — Adding Enthalpy Changes
Part 5 of 7 — The Power of State Functions
Topics in This Part
Section
📏 Hess's Law
Rules for Manipulating Equations
🛠️ Problem-Solving Strategy
Step-by-Step Approach
Worked Example
🔑 Key Concept: Mastering this material will strengthen your foundation for both the AP Chemistry exam and more advanced chemistry topics.
What You'll Master in Part 5
Understanding the core concepts covered in Part 5
Applying these ideas to solve practice problems
Building toward AP exam readiness for this topic
📏 Hess's Law
Hess's Law: If a reaction can be expressed as the sum of two or more other reactions, the enthalpy change of the overall reaction is the sum of the enthalpy changes of the individual reactions.
Part 6: Problem-Solving Workshop
🏗️ Standard Enthalpies of Formation
Part 6 of 7 — The Master Equation
Practice Makes Perfect
This workshop features multi-step problems that mirror the AP Chemistry exam format. Each problem requires you to combine concepts from previous parts and show your work clearly.
🔑 Why this matters: The AP Chemistry exam rewards students who can apply concepts to unfamiliar problems — structured practice is the best preparation.
What You'll Master in Part 6
Working through complete multi-step problems from start to finish
Building problem-solving strategies you can apply on the AP exam
Identifying which concepts to apply and in what order
🌡️ Standard Enthalpy of Formation (ΔH°f)
The enthalpy change when one mole of a compound is formed from its elements in their standard states.
Part 7: Synthesis & AP Review
🎯 Synthesis & AP Review — Enthalpy and Calorimetry
Part 7 of 7 — Bringing It All Together
Bringing It All Together
This comprehensive review connects every concept from Parts 1–6 with AP-style problems. The questions are designed to mirror what you'll see on the actual exam — multi-step, multi-concept, and requiring clear written explanations.
🔑 Why this matters: AP Chemistry exam questions rarely test one concept in isolation — success requires connecting ideas across topics.
What You'll Master in Part 7
Solving AP-style questions that integrate multiple concepts from this unit
Writing clear, concise explanations using proper chemistry terminology
Identifying and avoiding common AP exam traps and mistakes
📌 Complete Concept Map
Energy and Heat
Concept
Key Equation
Notes
Heat transfer
q=m
universe
=
ΔEsystem+
ΔEsurroundings=
0
Energy is conserved — it is neither created nor destroyed, only transferred.
If a reaction is exothermic in the forward direction, it is endothermic in reverse, and vice versa.
=
E+
PV
where E is internal energy, P is pressure, and V is volume.
We can never measure absolute enthalpy — only the change in enthalpy:
ΔH=Hproducts−Hreactants
At Constant Pressure
At constant pressure (open beaker, atmospheric conditions):
ΔH=qp
The enthalpy change equals the heat transferred at constant pressure. This is why chemists love enthalpy — it directly corresponds to the heat you can measure!
🔑 Key Insight: At constant pressure (like an open beaker), the enthalpy change IS the heat. This makes ΔH the most practically useful thermodynamic quantity.
Key Signs
ΔH
Meaning
Type
Negative (−)
Heat released
Exothermic
Positive (+)
Heat absorbed
Endothermic
🌡️ Enthalpy Is a State Function
A state function depends only on the current state of the system, not on how it got there.
What This Means
The enthalpy change ΔH depends only on the initial and final states
It does not depend on the pathway or mechanism
The same reaction will have the same ΔH regardless of how many steps it takes
💡 Analogy: Think of altitude — your change in altitude depends only on start and end, not the trail you took. Enthalpy works the same way.
Analogy
Think of altitude: if you climb a mountain, your change in altitude depends only on your starting and ending positions — not whether you took the steep trail or the winding road. Enthalpy works the same way.
Consequences
If a reaction can occur in one step or multiple steps, ΔH is the same
This is the foundation of Hess's Law (Part 5)
We can calculate ΔH for reactions we cannot directly measure
🌡️ Standard Enthalpy
Standard conditions in thermochemistry use the symbol °:
Parameter
Standard Value
Pressure
1 atm (or 1 bar)
Concentration
1 M (for solutions)
Temperature
Usually 25°C (298 K), but must be specified
Standard Enthalpy of Reaction (ΔH°rxn)
The enthalpy change when reactants in their standard states are converted to products in their standard states.
Standard State
The standard state of a substance is its most stable form at 1 atm and the specified temperature:
Substance
Standard State
Oxygen
O2(g)
Carbon
C(s,graphite)
Iron
Important Relationships
If you multiply a reaction by a factor n:
ΔHnew=n×ΔH
If you reverse a reaction:
ΔHreverse=−ΔHforward
Enthalpy Concept Quiz 🎯
Enthalpy Scaling Practice 🧮
Given: N2(g)+3H2(g)→2NH3(g)ΔH=−92 kJ
1) What is ΔH for 21N? (in kJ)
2) What is ΔH for 2NH3(g)→N? (in kJ)
3) What is ΔH for 2N2(g)+6H? (in kJ)
Enthalpy Properties 🔽
Exit Quiz — Enthalpy ✅
q=mcΔT
Symbol
Meaning
Common Units
q
Heat absorbed or released
J or kJ
m
Mass of substance
g
c
Specific heat capacity
J/(g·°C)
ΔT
Change in temperature (Tf−Ti)
°C or K
Specific Heat Capacity
The specific heat capacity is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1°C.
Substance
c [J/(g·°C)]
Water (liquid)
4.184
Ice
2.09
Steam
2.01
Aluminum
0.897
Iron
0.449
Copper
0.385
Water has an unusually high specific heat, meaning it can absorb a lot of heat with only a small temperature change. This is why water is used as a coolant and why coastal climates are moderate.
📌 The Coffee-Cup Calorimeter
A simple calorimeter made from a Styrofoam cup with a lid and thermometer.
How It Works
Measure the initial temperature of the solution
Mix the reactants in the cup
Record the maximum (or minimum) temperature reached
Calculate q for the solution using q=mcΔT
Key Assumptions
The calorimeter is perfectly insulated (no heat escapes)
The solution has the same density and specific heat as pure water (c=4.184 J/(g·°C), d=1.00 g/mL)
All heat from the reaction goes into the solution
Important Sign Convention
qrxn=−qsolution
If the solution warms up (qsolution>0), the reaction is exothermic (qrxn<).
⚠️ Common AP Mistake: Don’t forget the negative sign! qrxn and qsolution always have opposite signs.
Constant Pressure
A coffee-cup calorimeter operates at constant pressure (open to the atmosphere), so:
qp=ΔH
🧪 Worked Example — Coffee-Cup Calorimetry
Problem: When 50.0 mL of 1.00 M HCl is mixed with 50.0 mL of 1.00 M NaOH in a coffee-cup calorimeter, the temperature rises from 22.0°C to 28.9°C. Calculate ΔH per mole of water formed.
Given
Quantity
Value
Volume of HCl
50.0 mL of 1.00 M
Volume of NaOH
50.0 mL of 1.00 M
Ti
22.0°C
Tf
28.9°C
cwater
4.184 J/(g·°C)
dsolution
1.00 g/mL
Step-by-Step Solution
Step
Action
Calculation
Result
1
Mass of solution
100.0 mL×1.00 g/mL
100.0 g
2
Temperature change
28.9−22.0
🔑 Result:ΔH=−57.8 kJ/mol. The accepted value is −55.8 kJ/mol — our measurement is close! The negative sign confirms the reaction is exothermic.
Calorimetry Concept Quiz 🎯
Calorimetry Calculations 🧮
1) How much heat is needed to raise the temperature of 200.0 g of water from 20.0°C to 45.0°C? (answer in kJ, to 3 significant figures; cwater=4.184 J/(g·°C))
2) A 50.0 g piece of metal at 95.0°C is placed in 150.0 g of water at 20.0°C. The final temperature is 23.0°C. What is the specific heat of the metal? (in J/(g·°C), to 3 significant figures)
3) When 100.0 mL of 0.500 M HCl and 100.0 mL of 0.500 M NaOH are mixed, the temperature rises by 3.4°C. What is qrxn in kJ? (to 3 significant figures, include sign)
Calorimetry Concepts 🔽
Exit Quiz — Calorimetry ✅
The "bomb" — a rigid, sealed steel container where the reaction occurs
Water bath — surrounds the bomb, absorbs the released heat
Ignition wire — initiates combustion with an electric spark
Thermometer — measures the temperature change of the water
Stirrer — ensures uniform temperature in the water bath
Insulated jacket — minimizes heat loss to the environment
Key Feature: Constant Volume
The bomb is sealed and rigid — the volume cannot change. This means:
No PV work is done (w=0 since ΔV=0)
At constant volume: qv=ΔE (internal energy change)
This is different from coffee-cup calorimetry where qp=ΔH
For reactions involving only solids and liquids, ΔH≈ΔE.
For reactions involving gases:
ΔH=ΔE+ΔngasRT
where Δngas = moles of gaseous products − moles of gaseous reactants.
📌 Heat Capacity of the Calorimeter
For a bomb calorimeter, we use the heat capacity of the entire calorimeter (Ccal):
qcal=CcalΔT
Symbol
Meaning
Units
qcal
Heat absorbed by calorimeter
kJ
Ccal
Important Distinction
Quantity
Symbol
Units
Usage
Specific heat
c
J/(g·°C)
Per gram
Heat capacity
C
J/°C or kJ/°C
For the whole calorimeter
The heat capacity Ccal is determined by calibration — burning a substance with a known heat of combustion.
Finding qrxn
qrxn=−qcal=−C
The negative sign reflects that heat released by the reaction is absorbed by the calorimeter.
🧪 Worked Example — Bomb Calorimetry
Problem: A 1.50 g sample of benzoic acid (C7H6O2, molar mass = 122.12 g/mol) is burned in a bomb calorimeter with Ccal=10.34 kJ/°C. The temperature rises from 22.45°C to 25.71°C. Calculate the molar heat of combustion.
Given
Quantity
Value
Mass of sample
1.50 g
Molar mass (C7H6O2)
122.12 g/mol
Step-by-Step Solution
Step
Action
Calculation
Result
1
Temperature change
25.71−22.45
ΔT=3.26°C
2
Heat absorbed by calorimeter
⚠️ Note: This gives ΔE (internal energy), not ΔH, because the bomb calorimeter operates at constant volume. For this reaction, ΔH≈ΔE because Δn is small.
Bomb Calorimetry Concept Quiz 🎯
Bomb Calorimetry Calculations 🧮
1) A bomb calorimeter has Ccal=8.50 kJ/°C. If the temperature rises by 4.20°C, what is qrxn? (in kJ, include sign)
2) When 0.500 g of sugar (C12H22O11, molar mass = 342.3 g/mol) is burned in a bomb calorimeter (Ccal=9.20 kJ/°C), the temperature rises by 1.23°C. What is the energy released per mole? (in kJ/mol, round to nearest whole number, report as positive)
3) A calibration experiment burns 1.000 g of benzoic acid (heat of combustion = 26.38 kJ/g) and the temperature rises by 2.55°C. What is Ccal? (in kJ/°C, to 3 significant figures)
Bomb vs. Coffee-Cup Calorimetry 🔽
Exit Quiz — Bomb Calorimetry ✅
ΔHoverall=ΔH1+ΔH2+ΔH3+⋯
🔑 Why It Works: Because enthalpy is a state function, the total ΔH depends only on the initial and final states, not the path. Whether a reaction occurs in one step or ten, ΔH is the same.
Rules for Manipulating Equations
Operation
Effect on ΔH
Reverse the reaction
Change the sign
Multiply by a factor n
Multiply ΔH by n
Add reactions together
Add ΔH values
🛠️ Problem-Solving Strategy
Step-by-Step Approach
Write the target reaction — the one you need ΔH for
Examine the given reactions — look for each substance in your target
Manipulate given reactions so that when added, they equal the target:
Reverse reactions if a reactant needs to be a product (or vice versa)
Multiply reactions to match the coefficients in the target
Add the manipulated reactions — substances on opposite sides cancel
Add the adjusted ΔH values to get ΔHoverall
Worked Example
Problem: Find ΔH for: C(s)+21
Solution:
Keep reaction 1 as written (has C as reactant ✓)
Reverse reaction 2 (need CO as product): CO2(g)→CO(g)+ kJ
Add:
C(s)+O2(g)+CO
Cancel CO2 and simplify O2:
C(s)+21O2(
ΔH=−393.5+283.0=−110.5 kJ
Hess's Law Concept Quiz 🎯
Hess's Law Calculations 🧮
Given:
(1) S(s)+O2(g)→SO2(g)ΔH1=−296.8 kJ
(2) 2SO2(g)+O2(g)→ kJ
Find ΔH for: 2S(s)+3O2(g)→2
1) What must you multiply reaction (1) by? (enter the number)
2) What must you multiply reaction (2) by? (enter the number)
3) What is ΔH for the target reaction? (in kJ, to 3 significant figures)
Hess's Law Strategy 🔽
Exit Quiz — Hess's Law ✅
Examples
C(s,graphite)+O2(g)→CO2(g)ΔH°f=−393.5 kJ/mol
H2(g)+21O2(g)→H2O(l)ΔH°f=−285.8 kJ/mol
21N2(g)+23H2(g)→NH3(g)ΔH°f=−45.9 kJ/mol
Critical Rule
🔑 AP Must-Know:ΔH°f of any element in its standard state = 0. This is the #1 rule for formation enthalpy calculations.
Element
Standard State
ΔH°f
O2(g)
Standard
0 kJ/mol
N2(g)
Standard
0 kJ/mol
C(s,graphite)
Standard
0 kJ/mol
Fe(s)
Standard
0 kJ/mol
Br2(l)
Standard
0 kJ/mol
This makes sense: an element doesn't change to form itself!
📌 The Master Equation
ΔH°rxn=∑n⋅ΔH°f(products)−∑m⋅ΔH°f(reactants)
where n and m are the stoichiometric coefficients.
How to Use It
Look up ΔH°f for every compound in the reaction
Remember: ΔH°f=0 for elements in their standard states
Multiply each by its coefficient
Worked Example
Calculate ΔH°rxn for: CH4
Substance
ΔH°f (kJ/mol)
Coefficient
CH4(g)
ΔH°rxn=[(−393.5)+2(−285.8)]−
Formation Enthalpy Concept Quiz 🎯
Formation Enthalpy Calculations 🧮
Given:
Substance
ΔH°f (kJ/mol)
CO2(g)
−393.5
H2O(l)
−285.8
C2H6(g)
−84.7
NH3(g)
−45.9
NO(g)
+90.3
O2,N2,H2
1) Calculate ΔH°rxn for: C (in kJ, to 3 significant figures)
2) Calculate ΔH°rxn for: 4NH (in kJ, to 3 significant figures)
Formation Enthalpy Concepts 🔽
Exit Quiz — Formation Enthalpies ✅
c
Δ
T
Specific heat version
Coffee-cup calorimeter
qp=ΔH
Constant pressure
Bomb calorimeter
qv=ΔE
Constant volume
Calorimeter heat
qcal=CcalΔT
Total heat capacity
Enthalpy
Concept
Key Relationship
Notes
Exothermic
ΔH<0
System releases heat
Endothermic
ΔH>0
System absorbs heat
Reverse reaction
ΔHrev=−ΔHfwd
Sign change
Scaled reaction
ΔHnew=n⋅ΔH
Linear scaling
Hess's Law & Formation
Method
Equation
Hess's Law
ΔHtotal=∑ΔHsteps
Formation enthalpies
ΔH°rxn=∑n⋅ΔH°
🎯 AP Exam Strategies
Common AP Question Types
Calorimetry calculation — given mass, specific heat, ΔT → find q → find ΔH per mole
Hess's Law — manipulate 2-3 reactions to find ΔH for a target reaction
Formation enthalpy — use the master equation with a table of ΔH°f values
Conceptual — identify exo/endothermic, explain sign conventions, predict temperature changes
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Forgetting to flip the sign of ΔH when reversing a reaction
Using specific heat (c) when heat capacity (C) is given (or vice versa)
Forgetting that ΔH°f=0 for elements in their standard states
Mixing up qrxn and qsolution (they have opposite signs)
Not converting between J and kJ
⚠️ Unit Warning:q=mcΔT gives joules. ΔH°f values are in kJ/mol. Always check your units before combining!
Comprehensive AP Review Quiz 🎯
Integration Problems 🧮
1) 150.0 mL of 2.00 M HCl reacts with excess NaOH in a coffee-cup calorimeter. The temperature rises by 13.4°C. Assume the solution's mass is 150.0 g and c=4.184 J/(g·°C). What is ΔH per mole of HCl? (in kJ/mol, to 3 significant figures, include sign)
2) Using the ΔH°f values below, calculate ΔH°rxn for C3H8(g)+5O. (in kJ)
Substance
ΔH°f (kJ/mol)
CO2(g)
Comprehensive Concept Review 🔽
Final Exit Quiz — Thermochemistry Mastery ✅
Fe(s)
Bromine
Br2(l)
Mercury
Hg(l)
original
2
(
g
)
+
23H2(g)→
NH3(g)
2
(
g
)
+
3H2(g)
2
(
g
)
→
4NH3(g)
0
ΔT=6.9°C
3
Heat absorbed by solution
(100.0)(4.184)(6.9)
qsol=2887 J=2.89 kJ
4
Heat of reaction
−qsolution
qrxn=−2.89 kJ
5
Moles of water formed
0.0500 L×1.00 M
0.0500 mol
6
ΔH per mole
−2.89/0.0500
ΔH=−57.8 kJ/mol
Heat capacity of calorimeter
kJ/°C
ΔT
Temperature change
°C
cal
Δ
T
Ccal
10.34 kJ/°C
Ti
22.45°C
Tf
25.71°C
(10.34)(3.26)
qcal=33.71 kJ
3
Heat of reaction
−qcal
qrxn=−33.71 kJ
4
Moles of benzoic acid
1.50/122.12
0.01228 mol
5
Molar heat of combustion
−33.71/0.01228
ΔE=−2745 kJ/mol
gas
O2
(
g
)
→
CO(g)
Given:
C(s)+O2(g)→CO2(g)ΔH1=−393.5 kJ
CO(g)+21O kJ
2
1
O2
(
g
)
Δ
H
=
+283.0
2
(
g
)
→
CO2(g)+
CO(g)+
21O2(g)
g
)
→
CO(g)
2SO3(g)ΔH2=
−197.8
SO3
(
g
)
ΔH°f
Subtract the sum of reactants from the sum of products