Final answer:
The energy change of diluting a 15.0 M nitric acid solution by adding it to D.I. water is an exothermic reaction that releases 25.694 kJ of heat. This heat release leads to a decrease in temperature, resulting in a final temperature of approximately 10.6°C for the diluted solution.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking about the energy change associated with diluting a concentrated nitric acid solution and the final temperature of the solution after dilution. Given that diluting 15.0 M nitric acid is an exothermic process (ΔH°= -6.88 kJ/mol), we can calculate the heat released during the dilution and then use this to find the final temperature of the resulting solution.Calculating the Moles of HNO3
First, calculate the moles of HNO3 using the initial volume and concentration:
Moles HNO3 = 15.0 M × 0.249 L = 3.735 moles
Calculating the Energy Change
Then, calculate the energy change:
Energy change (ΔH) = 3.735 moles × (-6.88 kJ/mol) = -25.694 kJ (negative sign indicates heat is released)
Calculating the Final Temperature
Assuming the heat capacity and density of the dilute solution resemble that of water and there's no heat loss, we use the following relationship:
Heat released by HNO3 = Heat absorbed by water
q = mcΔT, where m is the mass of water, c is the specific heat capacity of water (4.184 J/g°C), and ΔT is the change in temperature.
The mass of water (322 mL + 249 mL) ≈ 571 mL × 1 g/mL = 571 g
ΔT can be found by rearranging the equation:
ΔT = q / (mc) = -25.694 kJ / (571 g × 4.184 J/g°C) = -25.694 kJ / (2388.664 J/°C) = -10.757°C
Final Temperature = Initial Temperature + ΔT = 21.4°C - 10.757°C ≈ 10.6°C
Note that due to the heat being released, we subtract the temperature change to get the final temperature.