Endothermic and exothermic reactions are important in our everyday lives. They help us understand how energy works.
Exothermic Reactions:
Burning Fuels: When fuels like methane burn, they give off a lot of energy—about 50 megajoules for every kilogram. This energy is really important for producing power.
Breathing: When our bodies break down sugar (glucose), they release energy too. This gives us about 2870 kilojoules of energy for every mole of sugar. We need this energy to help us stay alive and active.
Endothermic Reactions:
Photosynthesis: Plants need energy from the sun to grow. They take in carbon dioxide and water and turn them into sugar and oxygen. This process uses about 2800 kilojoules of energy for every mole of sugar created.
Cold Packs: You know those cold packs that you use to ease pain? They often have a substance called ammonium nitrate inside. When it dissolves in water, it absorbs heat (around 26.4 kilojoules for each mole) and creates a cooling effect.
These reactions show how energy changes happen in chemistry and how they affect our daily lives.
Endothermic and exothermic reactions are important in our everyday lives. They help us understand how energy works.
Exothermic Reactions:
Burning Fuels: When fuels like methane burn, they give off a lot of energy—about 50 megajoules for every kilogram. This energy is really important for producing power.
Breathing: When our bodies break down sugar (glucose), they release energy too. This gives us about 2870 kilojoules of energy for every mole of sugar. We need this energy to help us stay alive and active.
Endothermic Reactions:
Photosynthesis: Plants need energy from the sun to grow. They take in carbon dioxide and water and turn them into sugar and oxygen. This process uses about 2800 kilojoules of energy for every mole of sugar created.
Cold Packs: You know those cold packs that you use to ease pain? They often have a substance called ammonium nitrate inside. When it dissolves in water, it absorbs heat (around 26.4 kilojoules for each mole) and creates a cooling effect.
These reactions show how energy changes happen in chemistry and how they affect our daily lives.