Question

A student is using a coffee-cup calorimeter to determine the enthalpy change of the endothermic reaction of two aqueous solutions. After both solutions are added to the cup, the student neglects to put the lid on the cup. This would cause the magnitude of the calculated ΔH° value to be: the answer is: too small, since the solution will absorb heat from the room. But why? Wouldn't depend on if the reaction releases or absorbs heat. Wouldn't it be too large because heat escapes the cup? I'm so confused

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

In all calorimetric experiment , the calorimeter must be isolated from the surrounding . Otherwise the heat change in the experiment can not be determined with precision .

The reaction is endothermic . Hence, there is lowering of temperature due to absorption of heat in the reaction equal to ΔH°. The value of ΔH° can be calculated by measuring fall in the temperature of the content . The fall in the temperature will be less when heat is allowed to come from the surrounding . Less fall of temperature will result in less ΔH° to be calculated .

Hence in the given experiment , if the student neglects to put lid on the cup , the experiment will give less value of ΔH°.