Question

How can I calculate the enthalpy of neutralization?

Answer 1

When an acid and base reacts and forms a salt and water by the liberation of heat. The heat liberated is called enthalpy or heat of neutralization. Means enthalpy of neutralization is going to be observed in exothermic reactions.

Complete answer:
- In the question it is asked how to calculate the heat or enthalpy of neutralization.
- In an acid base reaction generally we observe that some amount of heat is going to liberate after completion of the reaction.
- The liberated heat is nothing but the enthalpy of neutralization.
- There is a formula to calculate the enthalpy of neutralization and it is as follows.
Heat liberated from the chemical reaction + Heat utilized to warm the solution + heat consumed to warm colorimeter
$n\Delta H+mc\Delta T+C\Delta T=0$
Here n = number of moles
$\Delta H$ = enthalpy of neutralization
M = mass of the solution
c = concentration of the solution
$\Delta T$ = change in temperature
C = heat capacity of colorimeter
- By substituting all the known values in the above formula we can get the enthalpy of neutralization
($\Delta H$ ).
- This is how we can calculate the enthalpy of the neutralization of a reaction.

Note: Enthalpy of neutralization of chemical reaction is always negative because in an exothermic reaction always the heat is going to liberate. When an acid and base are going to react and form some amount of energy in the form of heat. We must know each and every term involved in the reaction to calculate the enthalpy of neutralization.