Question

Calculate the enthalpy change for the neutralization of HCl by NaOH?

In a coffee cup calorimeter, 50.0 mL of 1.0 M NaOH and 50.0 mL of 1.0 M HCl are mixed. Both solutions are originally at 23.5 degrees C and after the reaction, the final temperature is 29.9 degrees Celsius. Calculate the enthalpy change for the neutralization of HCl by NaOH

I don't understand how to do this problem when you don't have the densities of the substances? Can you find the grams from the molar mass? Would that be OK?

Answer 1

You need some more data....`"the specific heat capacity of water..."`

Explanation:

I do not have these data at hand.

You interrogate the reaction...

`NaOH(aq) + HCl(aq) rarr NaCl(s) + H_2O(l)+Delta`

You assume the heat capacity of the solution is the SAME as the heat capacity of water. And thus you can measure the enthalpy associated with the formation of `50xx10^-3*mol` of salt....

You can also assume that the densities of the solutions are close (enuff) to `1*g*mL^-1`... And so you got `DeltaT`...and you can find the heat exchanged with `"the specific heat capacity of water..."`