IB · IB Chemistry

IB Chemistry: Energy cycles in reactions — Practice Questions & Answers

206 practice questions available for this topic — here are 10 with full answers and explanations.

Start an interactive quiz on Energy cycles in reactions →

Practice questions with answers

1 Multiple choice · Easy

Hess's law states that the enthalpy change of a reaction:

Tap an answer to check it.

WhyHess's law states that the total enthalpy change is independent of the route taken, depending only on the initial and final states (conservation of energy).
2 Multiple choice · Medium

Which expression gives the standard enthalpy change of a reaction from enthalpies of formation?

Tap an answer to check it.

Why$\Delta H^{\circ} = \sum \Delta H_{f}^{\circ}(\text{products}) - \sum \Delta H_{f}^{\circ}(\text{reactants})$.
3 Multiple choice · Medium

What is the standard enthalpy of formation of an element in its standard state?

Tap an answer to check it.

WhyBy definition the standard enthalpy of formation of an element in its standard state (e.g. $\text{O}_{2}(g)$) is zero.
4 Multiple choice · Medium

What are the standard conditions used when quoting standard enthalpy changes?

Tap an answer to check it.

WhyIB standard conditions are a pressure of $100\,\text{kPa}$ and a stated temperature, usually $298\,\text{K}$ ($25\,^{\circ}\text{C}$).
5 Multiple choice · Hard

For a reaction, $\sum \Delta H_{f}^{\circ}(\text{products}) = -600\,\text{kJ}$ and $\sum \Delta H_{f}^{\circ}(\text{reactants}) = -400\,\text{kJ}$. What is $\Delta H^{\circ}$?

Tap an answer to check it.

Why$\Delta H^{\circ} = \sum \Delta H_{f}^{\circ}(\text{products}) - \sum \Delta H_{f}^{\circ}(\text{reactants}) = -600 - (-400) = -200\,\text{kJ}$.
6 Multiple choice · Medium

Hess's law is a direct consequence of which physical principle?

Tap an answer to check it.

WhyBecause energy cannot be created or destroyed (conservation of energy / first law of thermodynamics), the enthalpy change must be the same regardless of route.
7 Fill in the blank · Easy

The standard enthalpy of formation of oxygen gas, $\text{O}_{2}(g)$, is $\text{kJ mol}^{-1}$.

Answer: 0 / zero

WhyAn element in its standard state has $\Delta H_{f}^{\circ} = 0$.
8 Fill in the blank · Medium

For a reaction $\Delta H_{1} = -100\,\text{kJ}$ and $\Delta H_{2} = -150\,\text{kJ}$ along a two-step route to the same products. By Hess's law the overall $\Delta H$ is kJ.

Answer: -250 / -250 kJ

WhyBy Hess's law the overall enthalpy change is the sum of the steps: $-100 + (-150) = -250\,\text{kJ}$.
9 Multiple choice · Medium

Hess law is a direct consequence of which principle?

Tap an answer to check it.

WhyHess law follows from the conservation of energy: enthalpy is a state function.
10 Multiple choice · Hard

Given (2) Al + 1.5 Cl2 -> AlCl3, dH = -583; (3) Al(s) -> Al(g), dH = +326; (4) Cl2 -> 2 Cl, dH = +243, find dH for AlCl3(g) -> Al(g) + 3 Cl(g).

Tap an answer to check it.

WhydH = +583 + 326 + 1.5(243) = +1274 kJ/mol.

Ready to test yourself?

Practise Energy cycles in reactions with instant marking and per-topic score tracking.

Start the Energy cycles in reactions quiz →

Practise other IB Chemistry topics