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Ch.19 - Chemical Thermodynamics
Chapter 19, Problem 74a

The fuel in high-efficiency natural-gas vehicles consists primarily of methane (CH4). (a) How much heat is produced in burning 1 mol of CH4(g) under standard conditions if reactants and products are brought to 298 K and H2O(l) is formed?

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Identify the chemical reaction for the combustion of methane: CH_4(g) + 2O_2(g) \rightarrow CO_2(g) + 2H_2O(l).
Determine the standard enthalpy change (\( \Delta H^\circ \)) for the reaction using standard enthalpies of formation: \( \Delta H^\circ = \sum \Delta H^\circ_f(\text{products}) - \sum \Delta H^\circ_f(\text{reactants}) \).
Look up the standard enthalpies of formation for each substance involved: CH_4(g), O_2(g), CO_2(g), and H_2O(l).
Substitute the values into the enthalpy change equation: \( \Delta H^\circ = [\Delta H^\circ_f(\text{CO}_2(g)) + 2 \times \Delta H^\circ_f(\text{H}_2O(l))] - [\Delta H^\circ_f(\text{CH}_4(g)) + 2 \times \Delta H^\circ_f(\text{O}_2(g))] \).
Calculate the \( \Delta H^\circ \) for the reaction to find the heat produced when 1 mol of CH_4 is burned.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Combustion Reaction

A combustion reaction is a chemical process in which a substance (typically a hydrocarbon) reacts with oxygen to produce heat, carbon dioxide, and water. In the case of methane (CH4), the reaction releases energy as it converts the reactants into products, making it a key process in energy production for fuels.
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Enthalpy of Combustion

The enthalpy of combustion is the amount of heat released when one mole of a substance is completely burned in oxygen under standard conditions. For methane, this value is crucial for determining the energy output of natural gas vehicles and is typically expressed in kilojoules per mole (kJ/mol).
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Standard Conditions

Standard conditions refer to a set of specific conditions used as a reference point in thermodynamics, typically defined as 1 atmosphere of pressure and a temperature of 298 K (25°C). These conditions are important for calculating thermodynamic properties, such as enthalpy changes, ensuring consistency in measurements and comparisons.
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