A mixture of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas are ignited and the following reaction occurs: Hydrogen + Oxygen = Water + Energy. Is this an Endothermic or Exothermic reaction and why?
If it burns, doesn't it give off heat?
I'm not sure it burns. that's my problem. I would assume it burns because it is being ignited. But the question that will be on the test tomorrow is "2 students ignight a mizture of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas in a test tube. The following reaction occurs: Hydrogen + Oxygen = Water + Energy. Is the reaction that occurs endo or exothermic and why?"
To determine whether this reaction is endothermic or exothermic, we need to understand the difference between the two.
An endothermic reaction is a process that absorbs heat energy from its surroundings, resulting in a decrease in the temperature of the surroundings and an increase in the internal energy of the system. In an endothermic reaction, the energy of the products is greater than the energy of the reactants.
An exothermic reaction is a process that releases heat energy into its surroundings, causing an increase in the temperature of the surroundings and a decrease in the internal energy of the system. In an exothermic reaction, the energy of the products is lower than the energy of the reactants.
Now, considering the given reaction: Hydrogen + Oxygen = Water + Energy
In this reaction, hydrogen and oxygen are combined to form water, and energy is released. This tells us that the energy of the products (water + energy) is lower than the energy of the reactants (hydrogen + oxygen).
Since energy is released during this reaction, it is an exothermic reaction. The reaction is exothermic because it releases heat energy into its surroundings, increasing the temperature of the surroundings and decreasing the internal energy of the system.
In summary, the given reaction (Hydrogen + Oxygen = Water + Energy) is an exothermic reaction because it releases energy.