1. Module 1

1.40. Module Glossary

Module Glossary

Module 1—Thinking Energy

Module Glossary

 

calorimeter: an isolated system in which the chemical system being studied is surrounded by a known quantity of liquid

 

calorimetry: the technological process of measuring the energy changes of an isolated system

 

carbohydrate: a carbon compound that contains many hydroxyl groups and has the general chemical formula CnH2nOn (e.g., glucose, C6H12O6)


chemical potential energy: a stored form of energy dependent on the relative positions of particles

 

endothermic: a process that absorbs energy from its surroundings

 

enthalpy: the total kinetic and potential energy in a system

 

enthalpy of reaction: the change in the energy of a chemical system as it proceeds from reactants to products

 

exothermic: a process that radiates energy to its surroundings

 

hydrocarbon molecule: a chemical compound containing only hydrogen and carbon atoms

 

kinetic energy: a form of energy related to the motion of particles

 

Kinetic energy can involve vibration, rotation, or translation within or of a particle. Kinetic energy changes are often observed as a temperature change in matter.

 

kinetic molecular theory: a theory that states that small particles that make up a substance are in continuous motion and collide with each other and objects in their path

 

magnitude: a value that indicates size or quantity

 

molar enthalpy: a change in enthalpy of a chemical system per mole

 

quantitative: an observation that uses a numeric value

 

reference energy state: a reference point at which the potential energy of the elements in their most stable form at SATP is defined as zero

 

specific heat capacity: a physical property of matter

 

It is the energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance one degree Celsius.

 

standard enthalpy of formation: the enthalpy change calculated from the measurements of a formation reaction under standard conditions

 

thermal conductance: the rate at which thermal energy flows through a substance

 

thermal stability: the tendency of a compound to resist decomposition when heated

 

The lower a compound's standard enthalpy of formation, the more stable the compound.