Measuring Heat Change

[805594676]

During today's lecture on thermochemistry, Professor Lavelle discussed how you measure the heat released from a reaction after the final temperature goes back down so there is no net change in temperature. If there's not net change, how do you measure the heat change? I know he explained but I was a bit confused on this part. Thanks!

[Jason Ho 2L]

I think what he intended was that you would measure the initial temperature and the final temperature and see if there is or is not a net change in heat. You wouldn't measure the intermediate temperatures. This is similar to the example he explained with two groups going up a mountain taking different paths. We don't really care about the path they take; we care more about their starting point and ending point.

[Trang Tran 1H]

Hi. I think the Professor meant to explain the enthalpy was a state property which means the intermediate steps do not count and only the final and initial points are counted.

[Caitlin Gee 2K]

Lavelle was just discussing how we measure the starting point versus final point, while disregarding the things that happen in between. He uses the analogy of the two groups climbing the mountain, each taking different paths but both starting and ending in the same point as the other group. This means that we don't really care about what trail the group took, we care more about where they started and where they ended up for the night.