Hey guys i really need this thing it's really Urgent
it is asked to find enthalpy change of formation for example : of butane the enthalpy changes given to us are of Combustion graphite , hydrogen and butane but when the teacher solved the Questiong he solved it as if it was a combustion reaction
Now i 'm really confused how can we do that !?
PLZ do Help me
Hmm.....it's not that difficult. Let me get it clear for you.
First you need to write equation indicating the formation of butane.
4C + 5H
2 ----> C
4H
10Since the enthalpy changes of combustion has been given to you, you also need to write the equation relating each substance and its respective combustion.
1. C + O2 ----> CO2 (Enthalpy change of combustion of carbon or graphite)
2. H
2 + 0.5O
2 ----> H
2O (Enthalpy change of combustion of hydrogen)
3. C
4H
10 + 13/2 O
2 ----> 4CO
2 + 5H
2O (Enthalpy change of combustion of butane)
As you may observe, the combustion of both hydrogen and carbon leads to carbon dioxide and hydrogen as well as the combustion of butane.
Hence, according to Hess's law, we may opt for another route in the conversion of carbon and hydrogen to butane.
Let's say we'll convert 4 moles of carbon and 5 moles of Hydrogen gas to carbon dioxide and water. Then these two products are converted to butane.
In practise these reactions are not feasible. But in theory we may opt for that method to find standard enthalpy changes of a particular reaction.
Let ^C be the enthalpy change of combustion of carbon.
So Enthalpy change of formation of butane = 4(^C) + 5(^H) - (^C
4H
10)
NOTE : We need to subtract the enthalpy change of combustion since we are converting carbon dioxide and water back to butane whereas the enthalpy change of combustion of butane actually is the energy evolved when 1 mole of butane is completely burnt to carbon dioxide and water. In other words we are doing just the contrary. that's why we need to subtract it.
If you don't understand, let me know