Exothermic refers to a transformation in which a system releases energy (heat) to the surroundings:
When the transformation occurs at constant pressure:
and constant volume:
In an adiabatic system (e.g. a system that does not give off heat to the surroundings), an exothermic process results in an increase in temperature.
In chemical reactions, the heat that is released is in the form of electromagnetic energy. The loss of kinetic energy via reacting electrons causes light to be released. This light is equivalent in energy to the stabilization energy of the energy for the chemical reaction, i.e. the bond energy. This light that is released can be absorbed by other molecules in solution to give rise to molecular vibrations or rotations, which gives rise to the classical understanding of heat. In contrast, when endothermic reactions occur, energy is absorbed to place an electron in a higher energy state, such that the electron can associate with another atom to form another chemical complex. The loss of energy within solution is absorbed by the endothermic reaction and therefore is a loss of heat. This is the physical understanding of exothermic and endothermic
reactions within solution.
Examples:
Some examples of exothermic processes are:
- Condensation of rain from water vapour
- Combustion of fuels such as wood, coal and oil
- Mixing water and strong acids
- Mixing alkalis and acids
- The setting of cement and concrete
- Most polymerisation reactions such as the setting of epoxy resin
Thermite reaction
Thermite reaction using iron oxxide
