Edimar A. Manlangit Jr.

Locker 13 D
Experiment No. 6: Heat of Formation of NaCl(s) 26 October 2018

Abstract
In this experiment, the enthalpy of neutralization for a strong acid base
neutralization, specifically HCl and NaOH, and the dissolution of NaCl was
measured. The obtained experimental enthalpy values were then used
together with provided thermochemical equations with Hess’s Law to compute
and deduce the heat of formation of solid NaCl. The mean ΔQrxn for the
neutralization reaction was -3766.27 Joules and the mean ΔHrxn was -56.13
kJ/mol with 10.39% percent error. While the dissolution of NaCl reaction had a mean
ΔQrxn of +555.40 Joules and the mean ΔHrxn was +7.41 kJ/mol with 92.47% percent
error. Calorimetry was the main laboratory technique utilized, specifically by using
coffee-cup calorimeters. Reagents were made to react inside the calorimeters to
measure the change of temperature of the solution. Neutralization is an exothermic
reaction while the dissolution of NaCl is an endothermic reaction however the values
obtained were not accurate due to systematic errors.

Introduction
This experiment delves in the realm of thermochemistry. It is the study of heat
involved in physical and chemical changes (reactions). The system is the part
being studied while the rest that is relevant to the change is called the
surroundings. When the reaction is done in constant pressure, the change in
heat is called the enthalpy of reaction denoted by ΔHrxn. These reactions may
be exothermic or endothermic. The former is a reaction that gives off heat to
the surrounding while the latter absorbs heat from the surrounding. In this
experiment, the enthalpy will be attained by using calorimetry, specifically by
using a simple but effective coffee-cup calorimeter. It measures the heat of
reaction by isolating the reaction in the container, which is the cup, that trapped
all the heat generated by the reaction. In thermochemistry this is called
isolation, where heat exchange with the surrounding is prevented. The First law
of Thermodynamics is a concept important in this experiment also. This can be
expressed as equation 1.
qheat = -qgained by solution = -msolutioncΔT = -msolutionc(Tf – Ti ) Equation 1
Methods
The procedure in this experiment is composed of two parts. Part A is for the
neutralization of reaction of HCl and NaOH. First, calorimeters were prepared
and then weighed, together with its lid. One was added with 75 mL of 1M HCl
while the other one was added with 75 mL of 1M NaOH. The temperature of
the two were measured and the average was used as the initial temperature of
the experiment. Then, the NaOH was poured to the calorimeter containing HCl,
stirred for 30 seconds to one minute while simultaneously observing the
temperature to record the maximum temperature reached. Lastly, the
calorimeter was reweighed to obtain the mass of the combined solutions. This
was done in two trials. For part B, the calorimeter was prepared similar to part
A but was added with 150 mL of water, then measured the temperature. Then,
 4.38 g of solid NaCl was added to be dissolved by stirring, and simultaneously
observing the temperature to record the lowest temperature reached.
Results

Trial Mass of solution (g) ΔT (°C) ΔQrxn (J) ΔHrxn (kJ/mol)

1 151.00 6.0 -3787.08 -50.5
2 149.34 6.0 -3745.45 -50.0
Table 1: Neutralization Reaction (Part A) Results

Trial Mass of H2O (g) ΔT (°C) ΔQrxn (J) ΔHrxn (kJ/mol)

1 146.99 1.0 +614.42 +8.2
2 148.44 0.8 +496.38 +6.62
Table 2: NaCl Dissolution (Part B) Results

Part Mean ΔQrxn (J) Mean ΔHrxn (kJ/mol) Theoretical ΔHrxn % Error
(kJ/mol)
A -3766.27 -50.3 -56.13 10.39
B +555.40 +7.41 +3.85 92.47
Table 3: Final Results and Percent Error

Reaction Thermochemical Equations ΔH0 (kJ/mol)

1 Na(s) + ½ O2(g) + ½ H2(g) → NaOH(s) -426.73
2 NaOH(s) → NaOH(aq) -44.505
3 ½ H2(g) + ½ Cl2(g) → HCl(g) -92.30
4 HCl(g) → HCl(aq) -74.843
5 NaOH(aq) + HCl(aq) → NaCl(aq) + H2O(l) -50.3
6 NaCl(aq) → NaCl(s) -5.05
7 H2O(l) → H2O(g) +40.668
8 H2O(g) → ½ O2(g) + H2(g) +241.84
9 Na(s) + ½ Cl2(g) → NaCl(s) -411.22
Table 4: Using Hess’s Law
Discussion
For part A, the mean ΔQrxn (J) is negative, therefore the neutralization reaction
of NaOH and HCl is an exothermic reaction. The amount of heat released of the
system (reaction) to the surrounding was 3766.27 Joules. Furthermore, the mean ΔHrxn
is the enthalpy of the neutralization reaction in the experiment. It means that 50.3 kJ
is the amount of heat generated by the limiting reactant or product in the reaction. For
part B, the mean ΔQrxn (J) is positive, therefore the dissolution of solid NaCl is an
endothermic reaction. The amount of heat absorbed by the reaction from the
surrounding was 555.40 Joules. In addition, ΔHrxn is the enthalpy of the reaction in
part B denoting that 7.41 kJ of heat was absorbed (AtQ1). As shown in Table 3, the
percent error for each experiment is far from the less than 5% error, implying that the
experiment was erroneous, especially for part B. The major source of error for this
experiment may be systematic errors. One, the thermometer used in the experiment
did not have a fine calibration. It was calibrated by one degree Celsius. The
temperature readings were only approximated due to the lack of fine calibrations. This
may be the major reason why the results in part B has a very high percent error
especially that the temperature changes on this part was less than one degree Celsius.
This greatly affected the accuracy of the data gathered. Another source of error may
be the use of the graduated cylinder. The graduated cylinder used may have fine
calibrations but it may still not be accurate enough and parallax errors may have been
committed. Also, some of the reactants used in the experiment has been freshly made,
thus making there temperature different from their normal room temperature (AtQ2).
It was important to keep the lid on the experiment because the experiment was meant
to be isolated. The lid kept matter and energy, in the form of water vapor and others
to escape the system (AtQ3). Hess’s Law calculates the overall change in enthalpy
and other state functions. It works because it does not give much importance in the
specific processes between the initial and final state due to it being an implication of
the First Law of Thermodynamics. It works by simply summing up the changes for
each step, of any path or any series of chemical reactions with their respective
enthalpies that leads to the desired product (AtQ4). It works by simply summing up the
changes for each step, of any path or any series of chemical reactions with their
respective enthalpies that leads to the desired product (AtQ5).

Sample Calculations

ΔQrxn (J) = -msolutionc(Tf – Ti ) Equation 1

= -(151.00 g) (4.18J/g-°C)(6°C)
= -3787.08 J

Number of moles of HCl (Limiting reactant)

𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠
M = 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝐿

Moles = (M)(volume in L)
= (1 M)(0.075 L)
= 0.075 moles of HCl

ΔHrxn = ΔQrxn / number of moles

= -3787.08 J / 0.075 moles
= 50494.4 J/mole ≈ 50.5 kJ/mole

Theoretical ΔHrxn (Neutralization)

*Enthalpies taken from appendix L of Chemistry and Chemical Reactivity

ΔHf(NaCl(aq)) (kJ/mol): -407.1

 ΔHf(NaOH(aq)) (kJ/mol): -469.6
ΔHf(HCl(aq)) (kJ/mol): -167.2

ΔHf(H2O(l)) (kJ/mol): -285.83

Theoretical ΔHrxn = [(−285.83 kJ/mol) + (−407.1 kJ/mol)] −[(−167.2 kJ/mol)

+(−469.6 kJ/mol)]
= −56.13 kJ/mol

Percent Error (Part A)

𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒−𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
= ⃒ ⃒ x 100
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒

−50.3 −(−56.13)
= ⃒ ⃒ x 100
−56.13

= 10.39%

Conclusion
Neutralization reaction is an exothermic reaction while the dissolution of NaCl
is an endothermic reaction. In order to break the bonds of the NaCl, energy is needed
thus it absorbed energy, on the other hand, in the neutralization reaction, new bonds
were formed thus it released energy in the form of heat. The experiment supported the
concept of enthalpy in thermochemistry however the results obtained were not
accurate due to systematic errors.

References
A. C. Esteban, E. R. Yanza, editors. Modern Experiment: In General Chemistry I. 10 th
ed. August 2018.
J. Kotz, et al. Chemistry and Chemical Reactivity. 2015 Cengage Learning; USA.