2.7.7

Energy Changes During Reactions

Test yourself on Energy Changes During Reactions

After reading these notes, test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

Energy Changes in Chemical Reactions

A chemical reaction happens when a substance undergoes a change into another substance. This requires energy.

Chemical reactions

Chemical reactions

  • Substances that are at the start of chemical reactions are called reactants.
  • The substances that are made at the end are called the products.
  • All the atoms in a chemical reaction are conserved. This means they are not lost in the reaction.
  • The mass of the reactants will always equal the mass of the products.
Exothermic reactions

Exothermic reactions

  • Exothermic reactions are reactions that give off heat to the surroundings.
  • This causes the surroundings to get warmer.
  • Examples of exothermic reactions include:
    • Combustion (burning).
    • Respiration.
    • Neutralisation.
    • Rusting.
Endothermic reactions

Endothermic reactions

  • Endothermic reactions are reactions that take in heat from the surroundings.
  • This causes the surroundings to get cooler.
  • Examples of endothermic reactions include:
    • Photosynthesis.
    • Cold packs.
    • Evaporation of water.
    • Melting ice.
    • Thermal decomposition (when heat breaks down a substance into smaller parts).
Jump to other topics
1

Biology

1.1

Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.2

Reproduction & Variation

1.3

Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.4

Digestion & Nutrition

1.5

Plants & Photosynthesis

1.6

Biological Systems & Processes

2

Chemistry

2.1

Particles

2.2

Chemical Reactions

2.3

Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.4

The Periodic Table

2.5

Materials & the Earth

2.6

Reactivity

2.7

Energetics

2.8

Properties of Materials

3

Physics

3.1

Energy

3.2

Forces & Motion

3.3

Waves

3.4

Electricity & Magnetism

3.5

Matter

3.6

Space Physics

4

Disciplinary Knowledge

Practice questions on Energy Changes During Reactions

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
Answer all questions on Energy Changes During Reactions

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

  • Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions

  • Mini-mock exams based on your study history

  • Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium