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Standard enthalpy of formation is the enthalpy change when one mole of any compound is formed from its constituent elements in their standard states. The enthalpy of formation of one mole of ethane gas refers to the reaction 2 C (graphite) + 3 H 2 (g) → C 2 H 6 (g).
For many substances, the formation reaction may be considered as the sum of a number of simpler reactions, either real or fictitious. The enthalpy of reaction can then be analyzed by applying Hess' law, which states that the sum of the enthalpy changes for a number of individual reaction steps equals the enthalpy change of the overall reaction.
Hess's law states that the change of enthalpy in a chemical reaction is the same regardless of whether the reaction takes place in one step or several steps, provided the initial and final states of the reactants and products are the same. Enthalpy is an extensive property, meaning that its value is proportional to the system size. [4]
Enthalpies and enthalpy changes for reactions vary as a function of temperature, [5] but tables generally list the standard heats of formation of substances at 25 °C (298 K). For endothermic (heat-absorbing) processes, the change Δ H is a positive value; for exothermic (heat-releasing) processes it is negative.
There are two kinds of enthalpy of combustion, called high(er) and low(er) heat(ing) value, depending on how much the products are allowed to cool and whether compounds like H 2 O are allowed to condense. The high heat values are conventionally measured with a bomb calorimeter. Low heat values are calculated from high heat value test data.
Van 't Hoff plot for an endothermic reaction. For an endothermic reaction, heat is absorbed, making the net enthalpy change positive. Thus, according to the definition of the slope: =, When the reaction is endothermic, Δ r H > 0 (and the gas constant R > 0), so
Enthalpy is the transfer of energy in a reaction (for chemical reactions, it is in the form of heat) and is the change in enthalpy. Δ H {\displaystyle \Delta H} is a state function, meaning that Δ H {\displaystyle \Delta H} is independent of processes occurring between initial and final states.
This equation quickly enables the calculation of the Gibbs free energy change for a chemical reaction at any temperature T 2 with knowledge of just the standard Gibbs free energy change of formation and the standard enthalpy change of formation for the individual components. Also, using the reaction isotherm equation, [8] that is