Is it possible for a chemical reaction to have \(\Delta U<0\) and \(\Delta H>0 ?\) Explain.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Yes, a chemical reaction can have \( \Delta U<0 \) and \( \Delta H>0 \) if the system is exothermic and simultaneously doing more work on the surroundings, which results in heat absorption from the surroundings.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Symbols

First, understand what these symbols represent in a chemical reaction. \( \Delta U \) represents the change (increase or decrease) in the internal energy which could be due to heat transfer or work done. \( \Delta H \) represents the enthalpy change which is the heat absorbed or released in a chemical reaction at constant pressure.
02

Assessing the Feasibility of \( \Delta U0 \)

Consider a system where heat is released, signifying an exothermic process making \( \Delta U<0 \). However, let's say the work done by the system on the surroundings is significantly high. Therefore, even though the system is losing energy, it's still absorbing heat energy from the surroundings to do the work. Hence, \( \Delta H \), which is the heat absorbed at constant pressure, would be greater than zero.
03

Conclusion

To conclude, it is possible for a chemical reaction to have \( \Delta U<0 \) and \( \Delta H>0 \). Such a scenario would require the system to perform work on the surroundings while absorbing heat from the surroundings, which is plausible

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Most popular questions from this chapter

For the reaction \(\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{4}(\mathrm{g})+\mathrm{Cl}_{2}(\mathrm{g}) \longrightarrow \mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{4} \mathrm{Cl}_{2}(1)\) determine \(\Delta H^{\circ},\) given that $$\begin{array}{r} 4 \mathrm{HCl}(\mathrm{g})+\mathrm{O}_{2}(\mathrm{g}) \longrightarrow 2 \mathrm{Cl}_{2}(\mathrm{g})+2 \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}(1) \\ \Delta H^{\circ}=-202.4 \mathrm{kJ} \end{array}$$ $$\begin{aligned} 2 \mathrm{HCl}(\mathrm{g})+\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{4}(\mathrm{g})+\frac{1}{2} \mathrm{O}_{2}(\mathrm{g}) \longrightarrow \\ \mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{4} \mathrm{Cl}_{2}(1)+\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}(1) & \Delta H^{\circ}=-318.7 \mathrm{kJ} \end{aligned}$$

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