Explaining Energy Changes: Making and Breaking Bonds

Energy changes, and reversible reactions
9.2 Explaining energy changes

Making and breaking bonds
In a chemical reaction, bonds must first be broken. Then new bonds form.
Breaking bonds takes in energy. Making bonds releases energy.
Example 1: an exothermic reaction

Hydrogen reacts with chlorine in sunshine, to form hydrogen chloride:
Cl HH Cl H Cl H Cl
Cl H Cl
Cl Cl
H
HH Cl
Cl H Cl
HH H Cl H Cl
Cl Cl HH Cl H
1 First, the bonds in the hydrogen 2 Now new bonds form between
and chlorine molecules must be hydrogen and chlorine atoms, giving
broken. Energy must be taken in, for molecules of hydrogen chloride.
this. (Energy from sunshine will do!) This step releases energy.
But the energy taken in for step 1 is less than the energy given out in  Hydrogen burning in chlorine in the
step 2. So this reaction gives out energy, overall. It is exothermic. lab. Bonds break and new bonds form,
If the energy taken in to break bonds is less than the energy released giving hydrogen chloride.
in making bonds, the reaction is exothermic.
Example 2: an endothermic reaction

If you heat ammonia strongly, it breaks down to nitrogen and hydrogen.
Here we use lines to show the bonds. (Note the triple bond in nitrogen.)
H
H H H H
H H H
HH H H
N H H N H H H H H
N N H
N
N
N
H H N
H H
1 First, the bonds in ammonia must 2 Now the hydrogen atoms bond
be broken. Energy must be taken in, together. So do the nitrogen atoms.
for this. (You supply it by heating.) This releases energy.
This time, the energy taken in for step 1 is greater than the energy given Bond energy (kJ / mole) !
H2H 436
out in step 2. So the reaction takes in energy, overall. It is endothermic.
Cl2Cl 242
If the energy taken in to break bonds is greater than the energy H2Cl 431
released in making bonds, the reaction is endothermic. C2C 346
C5C 612
Bond energies C2O 358
The energy needed to make or break bonds is called the bond energy C2H 413
Look at the list on the right. 242 kJ must be supplied to break the bonds in O5O 498
a mole of chlorine molecules, to give chlorine atoms. If these atoms join O2H 464
again to form molecules, 242 kJ of energy are given out. NN 946
N2H 391
The bond energy is the energy needed to break bonds, or released
when these bonds form. It is given in kJ / mole.
116
Energy changes, and reversible reactions
Calculating the energy changes in reactions

So let's calculate the energy change for those reactions on page 116. Calculating energy changes !
The calculation is always:
1 The exothermic reaction between hydrogen and chlorine energy in – energy out
H — H 1 Cl — Cl 2 H — Cl
Energy in to break each mole of bonds:
1 3 H — H 436 kJ
1 3 Cl — Cl 242 kJ
Total energy in 678 kJ bonds broken
Energy out from the two moles of bonds forming: energy in

energy
energy
2 3 H — Cl 2 3 431 5 862 kJ out
H2 (g) + Cl2 (g)
Energy in 2 energy out 5 678 kJ 2 862 kJ 5 2184 kJ overall, energy OUT
So the reaction gives out 184 kJ of energy, overall. − 184 kJ 2HCl (g)
Its energy level diagram is shown on the right.
2 The endothermic decomposition of ammonia  For the hydrogen / chlorine reaction.
H
2 N — H N N 1 3 H — H
H
bonds broken
Energy in to break the two moles of bonds:
6 3 N — H 6 3 391 5 2346 kJ energy in energy out
energy
Energy out from the four moles of bonds forming: N2 (g) + 3H2 (g)
1 3 N N 946 kJ overall, energy IN

— 2NH3 (g) + 92 kJ
3 3 H H 3 3 436 5 1308 kJ
Total energy out 2254 kJ
Energy in 2 energy out 5 2346 kJ 2 2254 kJ 5 192 kJ  For the decomposition of ammonia.
So the reaction takes in 92 kJ of energy, overall.
Look at its energy level diagram.
Starting a reaction off

To start a reaction, bonds must be broken. As you saw, this needs energy.
 F
or some reactions, not much energy is needed. Just mix the reactants
at room temperature. (For example, reactions B and C on page 114.)
 S
ome exothermic reactions need heat from a Bunsen burner just to
start bonds breaking. Then the energy given out by the reaction breaks
further bonds. (For example, reaction A on page 114.)
 B
ut for endothermic reactions like the decomposition of calcium
carbonate (reaction F on page 115), you must continue heating until
the reaction is complete.
 One way to get those bonds breaking!
Q
1 Two steps must take place, to go from reactants to products. 3 Hydrogen reacts with oxygen. Draw the equation for
What are they? the reaction as above, with lines to show the bonds.
2 Some reactions are endothermic. Explain why, using the 4 Now see if you can calculate the energy change for the
ideas of bond breaking and bond making. reaction in 3, using the bond energy table on page 116.
117

Explaining Energy Changes: Making and Breaking Bonds

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Explaining Energy Changes: Making and Breaking Bonds

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Energy changes, and reversible reactions

9.2 Explaining energy changes

Example 1: an exothermic reaction

Example 2: an endothermic reaction

Calculating the energy changes in reactions

Energy out from the two moles of bonds forming: energy in

2 The endothermic decomposition of ammonia  For the hydrogen / chlorine reaction.

1 3 N N 946 kJ overall, energy IN

Starting a reaction off

 One way to get those bonds breaking!

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