Question
Cooking an egg is one type of process, while the formation of snow is another. In three to five sentences, identify each as exothermic or endothermic and explain how you know. (4 points)
Cooking an egg is an endothermic process because it requires the input of heat energy to cook the egg. When you place the egg on a hot stove or in hot water, the heat energy is absorbed by the egg, causing its proteins to denature and coagulate, leading to the cooked state of the egg. The absorption of heat by the egg indicates that it is an endothermic process.
The formation of snow is an exothermic process because it releases heat energy into the surrounding environment. When water vapor in the atmosphere condenses and freezes onto ice nuclei, it releases heat energy. This release of heat is evident during the formation of snowflakes, as the water vapor molecules lose energy and turn into solid ice crystals. The release of heat by the water vapor suggests that the formation of snow is an exothermic process.