Quantum mechanics -- explanation of exothermic reactions

[Andrew1955]

Hi, I am wondering about latent heat release when water freezes but it seems best to start with a regular exothermic reaction. How does bond formation create heat? What is actually happening at the microscopic level so that these combining particles are capable of causing adjacent molecules to become hotter? I am not wanting a maths answer but rather a thought experiment approach to the answer that considers what is happening microscopically. Thanks

 

[Bystander]

Hi, I am wondering about latent heat release when water freezes but it seems best to start with a regular exothermic reaction. How does bond formation create heat? What is actually happening at the microscopic level so that these combining particles are capable of causing adjacent molecules to become hotter? I am not wanting a maths answer but rather a thought experiment approach to the answer that considers what is happening microscopically. Thanks

"I don't want math." Overlap/exchange integrals.

 

[Andrew1955]

"I don't want math." Overlap/exchange integrals.

Sorry I have no idea what that comment is telling me.

 

[Bystander]

Sorry I have no idea what that comment is telling me.

You have stated that you do not want any math; if you Google "overlap/exchange integral(s)"-"math", you'll get nothing but math. Do not request that we appeal to your intuition(s), or that we appease your intuition(s), because it simply will not happen on PF.

 

[Andrew1955]

You have stated that you do not want any math; if you Google "overlap/exchange integral(s)"-"math", you'll get nothing but math. Do not request that we appeal to your intuition(s), or that we appease your intuition(s), because it simply will not happen on PF.

Are you telling me it is impossible to explain in words why energy is released when a chemical bond is formed? I thought maths was a shorthand way of describing something that could in principle be described in words?