Chemistry · Chapter 11

Energy of Solution Formation

Dissolving is one event, but the energy is easiest to read as three steps. Two cost energy and one pays it back. Pick a salt and watch the three arrows add up to ΔH of solution.

Enthalpy diagram kJ per mole

Three step enthalpy diagram for dissolving a salt enthalpy

What the diagram is telling you

read it like this
NaCl in water

Pick a salt

Drag this. Step 3 hands back every bit of it, so the total never moves. Only steps 2 and 3 added together can be measured.

The arithmetic

+3kJ/mol from the model cools

Calorimeter 1.00 mol in 1000.0 g water

Thermometer for the dissolving experiment 25.0 0 °C 60 °C change: 0.0 °C

The temperature math uses the measured ΔH of solution, water at 4.18 J/g·°C, and a start of 25.0 °C.