SUMMARY
The enthalpy of neutralization for the reaction between hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is established at -56 kJ/mol of water produced. In the given scenario, mixing 195.0 mL of 0.400 M HCl with 155.5 mL of 0.500 M NaOH results in a calculated energy release of -8.722 kJ. However, this calculation is incorrect due to the need to account for the limiting reactant in the reaction. A balanced chemical equation and the stoichiometry of the reactants must be considered to determine the correct amount of energy released.
PREREQUISITES
- Understanding of stoichiometry in chemical reactions
- Knowledge of enthalpy and thermodynamic principles
- Familiarity with molarity calculations
- Ability to balance chemical equations
NEXT STEPS
- Review the concept of limiting reactants in chemical reactions
- Learn how to balance chemical equations for acid-base reactions
- Study the calculation of enthalpy changes in reactions
- Explore the application of calorimetry in measuring energy changes
USEFUL FOR
Chemistry students, educators, and anyone involved in thermodynamics or chemical reaction analysis will benefit from this discussion.