Answer:
The enthalpy of reaction is -185 kJ
Step-by-step explanation:
To get the reaction:
H₂(g) + Cl₂(g) → 2 HCl(g)
you must follow the following steps:
1) Reactive molecules must break their bonds to obtain their atoms.
H₂(g) → 2 H(g)
Cl₂(g) → 2 Cl(g)
Bond energy (or enthalpy) is the energy required to break one mole of bonds of a gaseous substance. In the case of diatomic molecules with a single bond, it corresponds to the energy necessary to dissociate 1 mole of said substance in the atoms that form it.
Whenever you want to break links you must supply energy, so the link enthalpy will have positive values; while when a mole of bonds is formed energy is released and the bond enthalpy of this process will be negative.
In this case you will then have:
H₂(g) → 2 H(g) ΔH=436 kJ/mol
Cl₂(g) → 2 Cl(g) ΔH=243 kJ/mol
So the total energy needed to break all the bonds is:
ΔH=1 mol*436 kJ/mol +1 mol* 243 kJ/mol= 679 kJ
2) The atoms that were obtained in the break of the bonds must be combined to obtain the product.
2 H (g) + 2 Cl (g) → 2 HCl (g)
Being the single bond energy for one mole of 431 kJ H-Cl bonds and considering that two moles of H-Cl bonds are formed, the ΔH is:
ΔH = -2 moles* (432 kJ/mol) = -864 kJ
As mentioned, when a mole of bonds is formed energy is released, the bond enthalpy of this process will be negative. So the formation of HCl is negative.
Hess's law states that the energy change in an overall chemical reaction is equal to the sum of the energy changes in the individual reactions comprising it. So:
ΔHtotal= -864 kJ + 679 kJ
ΔHtotal= -185 kJ
The enthalpy of reaction is -185 kJ