Question

An amount of solid barium chloride, 20.8 g, is dissolved in 100 g water in a coffee-cup calorimeter by the reaction: BaCl2 (s)  Ba2+(aq) + 2Cl−(aq) The water is originally at 25.0 °C and after the reaction the temperature of the solution is 26.6 °C. (Cs = 4.04 J/(g°C) for the solution). What is the enthalpy change (ΔH) associated with the reaction as written?

Answer 1

Answer : The enthalpy change during the reaction is -6.48 kJ/mole

Explanation :

First we have to calculate the heat gained by the reaction.

$q=m\times c\times (T_{final}-T_{initial})$

where,

q = heat gained = ?

m = mass of water = 100 g

c = specific heat = $4.04J/g^oC$

$T_{final}$ = final temperature = $26.6^oC$

$T_{initial}$ = initial temperature = $25.0^oC$

Now put all the given values in the above formula, we get:

$q=100g\times 4.04J/g^oC\times (26.6-25.0)^oC$

$q=646.4J$

Now we have to calculate the enthalpy change during the reaction.

$\Delta H=-\frac{q}{n}$

where,

$\Delta H$ = enthalpy change = ?

q = heat gained = 23.4 kJ

n = number of moles barium chloride = $\frac{\text{Mass of barium chloride}}{\text{Molar mass of barium chloride}}=\frac{20.8g}{208.23g/mol}=0.0998mole$

$\Delta H=-\frac{646.4J}{0.0998mole}=-6476.95J/mole=-6.48kJ/mole$

Therefore, the enthalpy change during the reaction is -6.48 kJ/mole