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Understanding Thermodynamics: An Overview of Hess's Law

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thatweebudontknow

12/1/2025

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Dec 1, 2025

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Understanding Thermodynamics: An Overview of Hess's Law

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thatweebudontknow

@thatweebudontknow

Thermodynamics helps us understand energy changes in chemical reactions. Hess's... Show more

# Unit 7.5 Thermodynamics
# Hess's Law

→A chemical reaction can be broken down into a series of smaller steps.

→When this happens, the ove

Hess's Law and Energy Calculations

Ever wonder how scientists figure out the energy changes for reactions they can't measure directly? That's where Hess's Law comes in handy! This principle states that the overall enthalpy change of a reaction remains the same whether it occurs in one step or multiple steps.

For example, to find the enthalpy change when graphite transforms into diamond, we can break it down into two steps. First, graphite reacts with oxygen ΔH1=394kJ/mol,exothermicΔH₁ = -394 kJ/mol, exothermic. Then, diamond is formed from carbon dioxide ΔH2=+396kJ/mol,endothermicΔH₂ = +396 kJ/mol, endothermic. Adding these together ΔH1+ΔH2=394+396=2kJ/molΔH₁ + ΔH₂ = -394 + 396 = 2 kJ/mol gives us the energy change for the direct transformation.

When working with reactions, remember these key rules: If you reverse a reaction, the enthalpy value keeps the same magnitude but changes sign. If a reaction shows CO₂(g) → C(diamond) + O₂(g) with ΔH = +396 kJ/mol, then the reverse reaction C(diamond) + O₂(g) → CO₂(g) has ΔH = -396 kJ/mol.

💡 Think of enthalpy like climbing a hill - going up requires energy (endothermic), coming down releases energy (exothermic), but the height of the hill stays the same either way!

When you multiply or divide a chemical reaction by a factor, you must do the same to its enthalpy value. Doubling a reaction doubles the enthalpy change; halving a reaction halves the enthalpy change. For instance, if C(diamond) + O₂(g) → CO₂(g) has ΔH = -394 kJ/mol, then 2C(diamond) + 2O₂(g) → 2CO₂(g) has ΔH = 2(-394) = -788 kJ/mol.

# Unit 7.5 Thermodynamics
# Hess's Law

→A chemical reaction can be broken down into a series of smaller steps.

→When this happens, the ove

Applying Hess's Law to Complex Problems

Now it's time to put Hess's Law into action with a more challenging problem! Let's find the enthalpy change for the reaction: N₂(g) + 2O₂(g) → 2NO₂(g).

We're given two reactions with known enthalpy changes:

  • N₂(g) + O₂(g) → 2NO(g) with ΔH₁ = 180 kJ/mol
  • 2NO₂(g) → 2NO(g) + O₂(g) with ΔH₂ = 112 kJ/mol

To solve this problem, we need to manipulate these reactions so they add up to our target reaction. First, keep the first reaction as is. Then, we need to reverse the second reaction changingthesignofΔH2to112kJ/molchanging the sign of ΔH₂ to -112 kJ/mol to get: 2NO(g) + O₂(g) → 2NO₂(g).

When we add these reactions together, the 2NO(g) appears on both sides and cancels out, leaving us with: N₂(g) + 2O₂(g) → 2NO₂(g). The overall enthalpy change is ΔH = ΔH₁ + ΔH2-ΔH₂ = 180 + (-112) = 68 kJ/mol.

🔍 Look for "unique chemicals" (those that appear only once in one reaction) as guideposts for how to manipulate your equations!

This problem-solving approach works for any complex reaction. Break it down into steps with known enthalpy values, manipulate as needed reversingand/orscalingreversing and/or scaling, then add everything up to find your answer. You've got this!



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Brad T

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Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

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In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend

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Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀

Marco B

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

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This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!

Paul T

iOS user

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️

Thomas R

iOS user

Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades

Brad T

Android user

Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend

Aubrey

iOS user

Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀

Marco B

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!

Paul T

iOS user

 

Chemistry

32

Dec 1, 2025

2 pages

Understanding Thermodynamics: An Overview of Hess's Law

user profile picture

thatweebudontknow

@thatweebudontknow

Thermodynamics helps us understand energy changes in chemical reactions. Hess's Law is a powerful tool that allows chemists to calculate energy changes indirectly by breaking reactions into smaller steps with known energy values.

# Unit 7.5 Thermodynamics
# Hess's Law

→A chemical reaction can be broken down into a series of smaller steps.

→When this happens, the ove

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Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Hess's Law and Energy Calculations

Ever wonder how scientists figure out the energy changes for reactions they can't measure directly? That's where Hess's Law comes in handy! This principle states that the overall enthalpy change of a reaction remains the same whether it occurs in one step or multiple steps.

For example, to find the enthalpy change when graphite transforms into diamond, we can break it down into two steps. First, graphite reacts with oxygen ΔH1=394kJ/mol,exothermicΔH₁ = -394 kJ/mol, exothermic. Then, diamond is formed from carbon dioxide ΔH2=+396kJ/mol,endothermicΔH₂ = +396 kJ/mol, endothermic. Adding these together ΔH1+ΔH2=394+396=2kJ/molΔH₁ + ΔH₂ = -394 + 396 = 2 kJ/mol gives us the energy change for the direct transformation.

When working with reactions, remember these key rules: If you reverse a reaction, the enthalpy value keeps the same magnitude but changes sign. If a reaction shows CO₂(g) → C(diamond) + O₂(g) with ΔH = +396 kJ/mol, then the reverse reaction C(diamond) + O₂(g) → CO₂(g) has ΔH = -396 kJ/mol.

💡 Think of enthalpy like climbing a hill - going up requires energy (endothermic), coming down releases energy (exothermic), but the height of the hill stays the same either way!

When you multiply or divide a chemical reaction by a factor, you must do the same to its enthalpy value. Doubling a reaction doubles the enthalpy change; halving a reaction halves the enthalpy change. For instance, if C(diamond) + O₂(g) → CO₂(g) has ΔH = -394 kJ/mol, then 2C(diamond) + 2O₂(g) → 2CO₂(g) has ΔH = 2(-394) = -788 kJ/mol.

# Unit 7.5 Thermodynamics
# Hess's Law

→A chemical reaction can be broken down into a series of smaller steps.

→When this happens, the ove

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Applying Hess's Law to Complex Problems

Now it's time to put Hess's Law into action with a more challenging problem! Let's find the enthalpy change for the reaction: N₂(g) + 2O₂(g) → 2NO₂(g).

We're given two reactions with known enthalpy changes:

  • N₂(g) + O₂(g) → 2NO(g) with ΔH₁ = 180 kJ/mol
  • 2NO₂(g) → 2NO(g) + O₂(g) with ΔH₂ = 112 kJ/mol

To solve this problem, we need to manipulate these reactions so they add up to our target reaction. First, keep the first reaction as is. Then, we need to reverse the second reaction changingthesignofΔH2to112kJ/molchanging the sign of ΔH₂ to -112 kJ/mol to get: 2NO(g) + O₂(g) → 2NO₂(g).

When we add these reactions together, the 2NO(g) appears on both sides and cancels out, leaving us with: N₂(g) + 2O₂(g) → 2NO₂(g). The overall enthalpy change is ΔH = ΔH₁ + ΔH2-ΔH₂ = 180 + (-112) = 68 kJ/mol.

🔍 Look for "unique chemicals" (those that appear only once in one reaction) as guideposts for how to manipulate your equations!

This problem-solving approach works for any complex reaction. Break it down into steps with known enthalpy values, manipulate as needed reversingand/orscalingreversing and/or scaling, then add everything up to find your answer. You've got this!

We thought you’d never ask...

What is the Knowunity AI companion?

Our AI companion is specifically built for the needs of students. Based on the millions of content pieces we have on the platform we can provide truly meaningful and relevant answers to students. But its not only about answers, the companion is even more about guiding students through their daily learning challenges, with personalised study plans, quizzes or content pieces in the chat and 100% personalisation based on the students skills and developments.

Where can I download the Knowunity app?

You can download the app in the Google Play Store and in the Apple App Store.

Is Knowunity really free of charge?

That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.

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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️

Thomas R

iOS user

Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades

Brad T

Android user

Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend

Aubrey

iOS user

Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀

Marco B

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!

Paul T

iOS user

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️

Thomas R

iOS user

Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades

Brad T

Android user

Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend

Aubrey

iOS user

Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀

Marco B

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!

Paul T

iOS user