Enthalpy

Enthalpy (symbolized H, also called heat content) is the sum of the internal energy of matter and the product of its volume multiplied by the pressure. Enthalpy is a quantifiable state function, and the total enthalpy of a system cannot be measured directly; the enthalpy change of a system is measured instead. Enthalpy can only be applied to a body at constant pressure.

Table of contents

1 Equations
2 Standard enthalpy
3 See also

Equations

Enthalpy is defined by the following equation:

U is the internal energy.
P is the pressure of the system.
V is the volume.

The total enthalpy of a system cannot be measured directly; the enthalpy change of a system is measured instead. Enthalpy change is defined by the following equation:

ΔH is enthalpy change.
H_final is the final enthalpy of the system. In a chemical reaction, H_final is the enthalpy of the products.
H_initial is the initial enthalpy of the system. In a chemical reaction, H_initial is the enthalpy of the reactants.

Enthalpy is most useful when pressure is held constant through exposure to the surroundings, to analyse reactions that increase the volume of the system, causing it to do work on the surroundings and lose energy. Conversely, reactions that cause a decrease in volume cause the surroundings to do work on the system, and an increase in the energy of the system. In this case, enthalpy change may be expressed as:

DH = DU + P DV,

where D may indicate an infinitesimal change (often denoted "d") or a finite difference (often denoted "Δ"). Regardless of whether the external pressure is constant, infinitesimal enthalpy change obeys:

dH = T dS + V dP,

so long as the only work done is through volume change. Since the expression T dS always represents transfer of heat, it makes sense to treat the enthalpy as a measure of the total heat in the system, so long as the pressure is held constant; this explains the term heat content.

For an exothermic reaction at constant pressure, the system's change in enthalpy is equal to the energy released in the reaction, including the energy retained in the system and that lost through expansion against the surroundings. Similarly, for an endothermic reaction, the system's change in enthalpy is equal to the energy absorbed in the reaction, including the energy lost by the system and that gained through expansion against the surroundings.

Standard enthalpy

Main article: Standard enthalpy.

The standard enthalpy change of reaction (denoted H⁰ or H^O)is the enthalpy change that occurs in a system when 1 equivalent of matter is transformed by a chemical reaction under standard conditions.

A common standard enthalpy change is the standard enthalpy change of formation, which has been determined for a vast number of substances. The enthalpy change of any reaction under any conditions can be computed, given the standard enthalpy change of formation of all of the reactants and products. Other reactions with standard enthalpy change values include combustion (standard enthalpy change of combustion) and neutralisation (standard enthalpy change of neutralisation).