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ChasingZebras
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Greetings! I've been brushing up on some thermodynamics recently and came across a perplexing sentence in my notes and text from undergrad.
It says that for a combustion reaction, such as the combustion of heptane:
C7H16 (l) + 11O2 (g) ---> 7CO2 (g) + 8H2O (l)
That this process carried out at constant pressure would release more energy than the same process carried out at constant volume.
I realize that enthalpy change is: dH = dU + d(PV), and that under constant pressure dH = q, and under constant volume dH = q + V(dP)
dU = q - w
Where q is heat added into the system, and w is work done by the system
Since the combustion is exothermic, q is negative
The moles of gaseous products are less than the moles of gaseous reactants, thus under constant pressure conditions, the volume of the system has decreased, thus work is done ON the system by the surroundings, and w here is negative (making the term positive). Thus,
dU = -q - (-w)
dU = -q + w
And, dH = -q + w + V(dP) + P(dV)
dH = -q + P(dV) + V(0) + P(-dV)
dH = -q
Under constant volume conditions, once products are formed the pressure of the system has decreased (because less moles of gas), and NO work is done since volume is constant. Thus,
dU = -q - (0)
dU = -q
And, dH = -q + V(dP)
If the pressure of the system has decreased, then dP is negative
dH = -q - V(dP)
So we have at constant pressure: dHp = -q
and at constant volume: dHv = -q - V(dP)
Therefore, wouldn't the process carried out at constant volume release more energy than the same process carried out at constant pressure? Since dHv < dHp, thus more exothermic/more energy release?
Did I go wrong somewhere? Or are is there a possible error in my notes/text?
Any clarification is much appreciated. Thank you for your time!
It says that for a combustion reaction, such as the combustion of heptane:
C7H16 (l) + 11O2 (g) ---> 7CO2 (g) + 8H2O (l)
That this process carried out at constant pressure would release more energy than the same process carried out at constant volume.
I realize that enthalpy change is: dH = dU + d(PV), and that under constant pressure dH = q, and under constant volume dH = q + V(dP)
dU = q - w
Where q is heat added into the system, and w is work done by the system
Since the combustion is exothermic, q is negative
The moles of gaseous products are less than the moles of gaseous reactants, thus under constant pressure conditions, the volume of the system has decreased, thus work is done ON the system by the surroundings, and w here is negative (making the term positive). Thus,
dU = -q - (-w)
dU = -q + w
And, dH = -q + w + V(dP) + P(dV)
dH = -q + P(dV) + V(0) + P(-dV)
dH = -q
Under constant volume conditions, once products are formed the pressure of the system has decreased (because less moles of gas), and NO work is done since volume is constant. Thus,
dU = -q - (0)
dU = -q
And, dH = -q + V(dP)
If the pressure of the system has decreased, then dP is negative
dH = -q - V(dP)
So we have at constant pressure: dHp = -q
and at constant volume: dHv = -q - V(dP)
Therefore, wouldn't the process carried out at constant volume release more energy than the same process carried out at constant pressure? Since dHv < dHp, thus more exothermic/more energy release?
Did I go wrong somewhere? Or are is there a possible error in my notes/text?
Any clarification is much appreciated. Thank you for your time!