Hess’ Law: Adding Reaction Enthalpies Some chemical reactions can not be carried out easily in order to determine the amount of heat or energy that can be obtained. Eg: Mg (s) + 1/2O 2(g) MgO (s) + light ?
G.H. Hess recognized a relationship between algebra and chemical equations. Chemical reactions can be added, subtracted, multiplied, and divided like math equations. For any chemical reaction that can be written in a series of steps, the overall enthalpy of the reaction is the result of adding up the sum of all the individual steps of the reaction.
Eg:Calculate the enthalpy of reaction for the formation of rust. 2Fe (s) + 3/2O 2(g) Fe 2 O 3(s) Given: 1)Fe 2 O 3(s) + 3CO (g) 2Fe (s) + 3CO 2(g) H o = kJ 2)CO (g) + 1/2O 2(g) CO 2(g) H o = kJ We can rearrange the given equations in a manner that will yield the overall reaction.
1)X-1 2Fe (s) + 3CO 2(g) Fe 2 O 3(s) + 3CO (g) H o = +26.7kJ 2)X3 3CO (g) + 3/2O 2(g) 3CO 2(g) H o =-848.1kJ _____________________________________________ 2Fe (s) + 3/2O 2(g) Fe 2 O 3(s) H o =-821.4kJ