Energy transfer during exothermic and endothermic reactions: An endothermic reaction is one that takes in energy from the surroundings so the temperature of the surroundings decreases.

Q: How do I revise Energy transfer during exothermic and endothermic reactions: An endothermic reaction is one that takes in energy from the surroundings so the temperature of the surroundings decreases. for GCSE?

Read the notes on Energy transfer during exothermic and endothermic reactions: An endothermic reaction is one that takes in energy from the surroundings so the temperature of the surroundings decreases., then test yourself without looking. Answering questions and checking what you missed builds recall faster than re-reading.

Q: Is this Energy transfer during exothermic and endothermic reactions: An endothermic reaction is one that takes in energy from the surroundings so the temperature of the surroundings decreases. guide aligned to the AQA specification?

Yes. This guide is linked to the Energy transfer during exothermic and endothermic reactions: An endothermic reaction is one that takes in energy from the surroundings so the temperature of the surroundings decreases. topic in the AQA GCSE specification.

An endothermic reaction absorbs energy from its surroundings, so the surroundings lose thermal energy and their temperature falls.

Study notes

From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

The idea

What earns the marks

Endothermic reactions transfer energy from the surroundings to the reacting system.
The surroundings lose thermal energy, so their temperature decreases.
The products have more stored energy than the reactants.
Energy is absorbed, so the temperature change of the surroundings is negative.
A thermometer reading that falls during a reaction is evidence for an endothermic change.
An energy level diagram for an endothermic reaction shows products higher than reactants.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

Saying energy is 'used up' or 'destroyed' rather than transferred and stored in the products.
Put it right by describing energy transfer from surroundings to the system.
Confusing endothermic with exothermic and predicting a temperature rise.
Put it right by linking 'endo' to energy entering the system and a fall in surroundings temperature.
Believing the reacting mixture itself gets colder because it 'loses' energy.
Put it right by stating the surroundings lose energy while the system gains it.

Exam tips

State clearly that energy is taken in from the surroundings and that the surroundings' temperature decreases.
When describing a practical, name the thermometer reading falling as the observation that supports an endothermic change.
If asked to compare, contrast endothermic with exothermic by the direction of energy transfer and the sign of the temperature change.

Try the lesson

The start of the Energy transfer during exothermic and endothermic reactions: An endothermic reaction is one that takes in energy from the surroundings so the temperature of the surroundings decreases. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

Have a go first

A student adds two solids together in a test tube. The mixture gets colder and the thermometer reading falls. Which type of reaction is taking place?

Tip: press 1 to 4 to choose

Listen

An endothermic reaction absorbs energy from its surroundings, so the surroundings lose thermal energy and their temperature falls. Energy is transferred from the surroundings to the reacting system, which stores it in the products; the products therefore have more energy than the reactants. A practical way to observe this is to add citric acid to sodium hydrogencarbonate in a polystyrene cup with a thermometer: the thermometer reading drops as the reaction proceeds. The temperature decrease is evidence that energy has been taken in, not released. In an energy level diagram the products are drawn higher than the reactants, and the energy difference is the energy absorbed. The temperature change depends on amounts and concentrations, so a small change may be hard to detect without a sensitive thermometer or insulation. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Endothermic reactions transfer energy from the surroundings to the reacting system. The surroundings lose thermal energy, so their temperature decreases. The products have more stored energy than the reactants. Energy is absorbed, so the temperature change of the surroundings is negative. A common slip: Saying energy is 'used up' or 'destroyed' rather than transferred and stored in the products. Instead, describing energy transfer from surroundings to the system. Exam tip: State clearly that energy is taken in from the surroundings and that the surroundings' temperature decreases.

See it

A flowchart starting from a node labelled Endothermic reaction, which leads to Energy taken in from the surroundings. From there the chart splits into two branches. The first branch goes to Surroundings lose thermal energy, then to Temperature of the surroundings decreases, then to Thermometer reading falls. The second branch goes to Energy stored in the products, then to Products have more energy than the reactants, then to Energy level diagram: products higher than reactants. — It shows how an endothermic reaction takes in energy from the surroundings, lowering their temperature and storing more energy in the products.

Label the diagram

Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A flowchart starting from a node labelled Endothermic reaction, which leads to Energy taken in from the surroundings. From there the chart splits into two branches. The first branch goes to Surroundings lose thermal energy, then to Temperature of the surroundings decreases, then to Thermometer reading falls. The second branch goes to Energy stored in the products, then to Products have more energy than the reactants, then to Energy level diagram: products higher than reactants.

1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3

0 of 3 labelled

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