Exothermic Reactions An exothermic reaction is one that releases energy in the form of heat or light. This type of reaction occurs when the forward reaction...
Exothermic Reactions
An exothermic reaction is one that releases energy in the form of heat or light. This type of reaction occurs when the forward reaction releases energy to the surroundings, causing the temperature of the surroundings to rise.
Endothermic Reactions
An endothermic reaction is one that absorbs energy in the form of heat or light during the reaction process. This type of reaction occurs when the forward reaction absorbs energy from the surroundings, causing the temperature of the surroundings to decrease.
For example, when a candle burns, the chemical reaction between the wax and oxygen releases energy in the form of heat and light, causing the candle to burn. This is an exothermic reaction.
Another example of an exothermic reaction would be the burning of a firecracker. The chemical reaction between the gunpowder and oxygen releases energy in the form of heat and light, causing the firecracker to explode.
On the other hand, when baking a cake, the chemical reaction between the flour, sugar, and baking powder absorbs energy from the surroundings, causing the cake to rise. This is an endothermic reaction