Exothermic Vs Endothermic

[Julie Mai 1K]

Hello!

Does anyone have an easy method to remember that exothermic reactions release heat and endothermic reactions require heat? I always get confused and mix them up.

[AlexandriaHunt2J]

Hey! An easy way to think of it is that exothermic = exo = external, meaning heat is being released/leaving the system. Using this trick, you know that exothermic means a release of heat, and therefore endothermic must mean heat is being inputted.

[Alex Luong 3H]

Similar to what Alexandria said, exothermic reactions release heat to the environment, so exo = external. And vice versa.

[Christina Gigoux 1D]

My method is pretty much the same in which I associate exo- with external and endo- with internal because each sounds similar to its corresponding prefix.

[Olivia Peony Dis 2A]

I associate exothermic with outside surrounding being hot (Ex refers to outside) therefore energy leaves the system. Endothermic (inside) means surrounding is cold, meaning that energy from the surrounding is supplied to the system.

Olivia Peony Dis 2A

[Sarah Hong 2K]

For EXothermic reactions, I like to think of it as "EXiting", so the heat is exiting/being released. And ENdothermic as "ENtering", so heat is entering/being absorbed.

[Michelle Argueta 1E]

Think of exothermic reactions as exiting, so the heat is being released from the reaction, and as for endothermic as entering, so heat is being absorbed.

[Katherine Li 1A]

Exo- means outside, kind of like external. This means it is letting out heat. Endo- means inside, so heat is being drawn into the system.

[jaycmartinezDisc3b]

Hey! The way I memorized this is by the prefixes of the terms. Exo means outside, and Endo means inside. Then, I just associate exo with things being hot, like a cup of coffee, and endo with things that are cold like ice. Hope this helps!

[Talia Tam 3L]

I memorized it by associating exothermic with exit(both start with ex); heat exits in exothermic reactions. Thus, I then know that endothermic must be the opposite and requires heat.

[Caitlin Gee 2K]

For EXothermic reactions, I like to think of it as "EXiting", so the heat is exiting/being released. And ENdothermic as "ENtering", so heat is entering/being absorbed.

This is actually a great way of memorizing, thanks!

[JasmineReyes-2K]

Hi!,
The way that I remember is exo=exit so I know that exothermic releases heat, and endothermic will take in

[Madison Nguyen 3L]

I imagine exothermic as an exit, so that heat is exiting the system. Endothermic can be seen as enter, so heat is entering the system.

[Sarah Wang 1I]

Exothermic begins with 'ex' which can be linked to 'exit', and endothermic begins with 'en' which can be linked to 'enter'. Hope this helps!

[Holly Do 2J]

My best advice would be to know the prefix. For exothermic, the prefix is "exo" which is outside/external so the heat would be external hence releasing heat. For endothermic the prefix is "endo" which is absorbing/inner so heat is being absorbed.

[Ruben Adamov 1E]

The method I use to remember is that exothermic (exo-exit) as in heat is released
endothermic (endo-enter) as in heat is required.
Hope this helps!

[Erin Chin 1L]

Hi there, the way I remember the difference between the two is through their prefixes! Exothermic (exo - similar to EXit) is where the heat exits, leaving the system. Endothermic (endo - similar to ENter, into) is when the heat enters or is absorbed by the system.

[ThomasL1L]

For me exothermic is always exiting the reaction and thus the reaction is losing energy. Endothermic then must be energy entering the reaction.

[Amanda Dankberg 1B]

an easy way that I remember is that exothermic starts with ex kind of like exit because heat is exiting the system and endothermic starts with en which kind of sounds like in because heat is going into the system :)

[Jessica Servoss 1H]

For me, I think of "Exo" as external, or outside, meaning that the system is giving heat/energy to its surroundings. "Endo" means inside, so there is energy/heat being put into the system.

[Sidharth Paparaju 3B]

I remember that "exo" means outside, like an exoskeleton on bugs. So this would mean energy goes outside. Endo then would mean inside. So energy goes inside.

[Bela Patel 2B]

For me I remember exothermic is releasing energy because the beginning of the word ex- is like the word exit. While, I remember endothermic is requiring energy because en- is like the word enter.

[danielle05]

Hi Julie,

An easy way to remember is EXothermic = heat EXits and ENdothermic = heat ENters.

[Samantha Toscano 2C]

Exothermic --> heat will Exit
Endothermic --> heat will ENter

[Neeti Indiresan 3I]

I like to remember that exothermic is external, or exiting, or outside the system. And then I remember that endothermic must be the opposite.

[Neeti Indiresan 3I]

I like to remember that exothermic is external, or exiting, or outside the system. And then I remember that endothermic must be the opposite.

[105532700]

Endothermic requires heat, while exothermic gives off heat

[almaortega]

I always remember that exothermic sounds like exit-thermic, which helps me remember that heat is exiting the system, therefore delta H is negative. Endothermic sounds like enter-thermic, so heat enters the system and delta H is positive.

[Benicio Rivera 1F]

I think of exo as out like how on exoskeleton is on the outside of the body so that helps me remember it releases. For endo I think of in because en and in sound the sound so it requires energy.

[Jordyn Lee 1J]

I like to remember exothermic as "ex"it and endothermic as "en"ter. Heat is exiting in an exothermic reaction and entering in an endothermic reaction.

[Hannah Carsey 1B]

The way I remember that endothermic means “requires / absorbs heat energy” and exothermic means “releases heat energy” is by noticing that endothermic almost has the word “in” which can represent how heat is going into the system / heat is required, and by noticing that exothermic sort of looks like the word “exit” as in heat is leaving the system / being released. This helps me to understand that breaking bonds is endothermic (requires energy, positive delta H) and forming bonds is exothermic (releasing energy, negative delta H).

[Maddie Klee 3K]

I remember it as "exo" is EXiting and "endo" is ENtering.

[Akshat Katoch 2K]

Exothermic - Exo - Exiting
Endothermic - Endo -Entering

[Neha Mukund]

When I see exothermic, I think of heat "ex" iting. When I see endothermic, I think of heat "en"tering. I hope this helps.

[Madeline Ellmore 2C]

Hi! One way I think of exothermic vs. endothermic is "endo" sounds like "ender" which sounds like an ember from a fire, which when you sit near it, your body heats up, kind of like how in an endothermic reaction, it absorbs heat. Exothermic sounds like "external," similar to how exothermic reactions release heat to its external surroundings.

[Julia Zahra]

exo sounds like external, so heat is released.

[Michael 1G]

I differentiate the two by remembering that in an exothermic reaction, energy is EX-iting the system. Also "Exo" means on the outside so that means energy is being realeased.

[rachelsjordan 1K]

Exo means heat exits and endo means heat enters the system

[Sophia Dominguez 3I]

Chemical reactions that release energy are known as exothermic, while chemical reactions that absorb energy are known as endothermic. I remember this through the prefixes because exo- is known as external and endo- in known as internal.

[Daniela G 2C]

I get confused as well, but the way I remember it is exothermic, has an ex in it, ex= exit, so the heat will "exit"/ be released. Since exothermic means a release of heat, endothermic is the opposite, requiring the absorption of heat.

[Daniel Tabibian 3K]

I just think of exothermic as being external and giving energy to the external environment.

[105778693]

I just remember exothermic as 'exo' or 'outside', which makes endothermic the opposite (inside).

[tashyavakil 2K]

exothermic, exo like exit, the heat exits the system
endothermic, endo like into, heat goes into the system

[Polo Morales 3C]

I'd suggest breaking down the word and comparing the prefixes. We know that "exo" usually relates to external, exits, etc. We also know that "endo" relates to entering. Another way would be to connect "exo" to "exit", and "endo" to "enter". Hope this helps!

[Allen Mayo 1E]

Like Jay said earlier, I use a similar strategy by just keeping in mind their prefixes. Exo means outside, and endo means inside. So exo would be external so releasing energy, and endo would be absorbing into.

[405479701]

exothermic=exo=external which means that heat is being released and leaving the system. The opposite must be true for endothermic which means heat is being added.

[Sean Basu 2B]

I just think of it as exothermic --> exo --> exit; heat exits the system

[Ashley Gonzalez Dis 2A]

I like to think of the first 2 letters in each word. Exothermic has "Ex-" which is like "Exit' and endothermic has "En-" which is like "Enter". So exothermic is when heat "exits"(releases energy) and endothermic is when heat "enters" (absorbs energy).

[Prithvi Raj 3E]

Exothermic reactions release heat, while endothermic reactions take in heat. I hope this helps.

[Santiago Cortes 2J]

I typically just try to remember that exo means external meaning releasing heat and endo is internal or containing heat.

[Sean1F]

Also, exo relates to exterior which means the outside absorbs energy!

[Abigail Tran 14a]

exothermic is when heat EXits and endothermic is when heat ENters

[Amy Jordan 2A]

Hi, I think of it as exothermic releases heat because exo means external, and endothermic reactions absorb heat because endo means within. Hope this helps!

[Rachel Bartley 2B]

I remember it as exo- exit, so exothermic means heat is exiting the system. And endo- as enter, so endothermic would mean heat enters the system.

[Vanessa Bartoli 1C]

I like to think of it as exothermic --> EXit --> heat is released, so, in turn, endothermic is heat absorbed

[Sarah Wang 1I]

Look at the first two letters of both: EXothermic --> heat EXits, ENdothermic --> heat ENters!

[Amanda Jacobs 2B]

I think of the exo in exothermic as outside (as in exoskeleton). This reminds me that the heat is escaping to the outside. Then, I know that endothermic is simply the opposite of exothermic.

[Jennifer Kainth 3L]

Exothermic reactions produce heat, whereas endothermic reactions absorb heat. 

[Emily Wu 2G]

when heat goes away from a solid to liquid it is exothermic.

[Marie Khijniak 2E]

Hello!
I always think about exothermic reactions, as heat exiting (or being released), and endothermic reactions as heat entering (or heat being absorbed). The first two letters match, so it's easy for me to remember.
Hope this helps!

[Kelly McFarlane]

I usually think of exothermic as exo- being external and therefore the heat is going in the external direction, leaving the system. That then makes endothermic the one where heat goes into the system.

[davis sandberg 2H]

Exothermic loses heat (ex=exit). Endothermic gains heat (en=enter)

[405745446]

The way I remember is, I associate exothermic has heat exiting and endothermic is "in tho" so going in. I always associate exothermic with fire, as it is heating up the surroundings meaning heat is released. Also associate endothermic with ice, as it takes away heat from the surroundings, making the area cooler.

[Nathan Morgan 2C]

Hi! The way that I have remembered this is exothermic in my head is similar to exoskeleton which is something that is lost (shed) so if its lost then it must be exothermic but if its not lost then its not exothermic.

[andreagutierrez 3K]

Endo sounds like entro which means enter in spanish so I associate endo with absorbing, and exo seems like exit so it releases. Hopefully that helps (:

[Guadalupe_3B]

An easy way to remember the difference is to think of exothermic as heat is EXiting and endothermic as heat is ENtering.