Introduction to Thermochemistry (START HERE)

1. Introduction

Energy is defined as the capacity of a substance or system to do work. Energy—including the development and export of natural resources such as coal, natural gas, oil, and bitumen from oil sand—is an important part of Alberta’s economy. Energy is also an important part of your daily life. You rely heavily on fossil fuels to provide energy to heat your home and to power the machinery, equipment, electronics, and more that are part of almost every part of your life.

Energy can come in a variety of forms. Almost all of the events that occurred earlier in your day today involved energy in some form. Your alarm clock’s conversion of electrical energy into sound energy may have woken you up. Your water heater’s transformation of chemical potential energy from natural gas or another fuel into thermal energy probably provided the warm water for your shower. In this module you will investigate the quantity of energy involved in your daily activities.

Module 1 will focus on various energy sources and will consider those sources within the context of providing energy for the activities you enjoy. You will learn ways to measure and calculate energy change during chemical reactions.

In Module 1 you will investigate the following questions:

• Should energy be given a higher priority when making decisions about society’s future?

• How does society use the energy of chemical changes?

• What are the impacts of energy use on the environment?

• How does society use knowledge of the energy associated with chemical processes to promote sustainability?

• In what ways have issues of energy use affected the development of past and present societies?

In Module 2 you will keep investigating energy changes in chemical reactions by focusing on changes that occur at the molecular level.

You will continue the ecotour planning you began in Module 1 by considering using biodiesel in vehicles required by your ecotour. Biodiesel is an alternative fuel that can be produced from waste cooking or other oils. You will consider the production and use of biodiesel from a variety of perspectives.

In Module 2 you will investigate the following question:

• What energy changes must be considered when designing chemical systems?

You will also continue to address the Module 1 questions:

• Should energy be given a higher priority when making decisions about society’s future?

• How does society use the energy of chemical changes?

• What are the impacts of energy use on the environment?

• How does society use knowledge of the energy associated with chemical processes to promote sustainability?

• In what ways have issues of energy use affected the development of past and present societies?

2. Bigger Picture

Want to see the North? Canada's northern-most regions are becoming tourism hotspots. Before visiting the Arctic you will want to make sure your visit will not harm the area's delicate ecology. You might consider “going eco” on your next holiday!

Ecotourism—the opportunity to visit and observe natural habitat and wildlife without leaving a negative ecological footprint—is the new rage. Ecotourism encourages the use of sustainable resources and the promotion of sustainable development within the area visited. It also focuses on minimizing the impact of visitors on the wilderness showcased.

Ecotourism can provide for many unique holidays ranging from observing wildlife such as wolves, beluga whales, muskoxen, and caribou; to more energetic pursuits like canoe trips, whale watching in kayaks, travel by komatik, cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, and hiking. Ecotour accommodations vary from tents on the tundra to cozy lodges with gourmet meals.

When planning and delivering ecotours, ecoguides and tour operators must make many logistical decisions including how their tour participants will move around and what fuel will power any vehicles participants use.

In Module 1 you will plan an ecotour of the area in which you live. You will consider how thermodynamics can be applied to the type of equipment you will use and the practices you will follow during your ecotour. In your role as an ecotour operator you will evaluate what priority should be given to energy consumption when making decisions about your ecotour company and society's future.

As you develop a plan for your ecotour, you will consider the unique ecological, geological, or geographic aspects of your part of Alberta. Depending on where you live, you may develop a tour that features the stunning Cypress Hills or Rocky Mountains, the many lakes in the Lac La Biche area, or the many ways to navigate Edmonton's river valley.

Your ecotour planning will tie into the Module 1 Assessment. Read on to learn more about the lessons, activities, and assessments you will complete as you progress through Module 1.

You may have planned that participants in your ecotour will see parts of your local area by cycling. What mode of transportation could be more ecofriendly than cycling—transportation powered by people? However, the cyclists in your ecotour will likely need to be supported by a vehicle. If so, you might consider using a vehicle that uses an environmentally friendly fuel as its energy source.

Biodiesel is one such fuel that has been receiving a great deal of attention. Oil from the canola plants pictured to the right of the cyclists in the photograph can be used to produce biodiesel, as can waste vegetable oil from restaurants.

In Module 2 you will learn more about energy changes in chemical reactions while investigating the production, testing, and use of biodiesel as a possible fuel source for your ecotour.

The use of biodiesel as a vehicle fuel for your ecotour planning will tie into the Module 2 Assessment. Read on to learn more about the lessons, activities, and assessments you will complete as you progress through Module 2.

3. Energy in Chemical Change

Unit A studies the energy changes that occur in chemical reactions. In this unit you will learn how to measure the magnitude of such energy changes. You will also explore scientific theories that are used to predict and explain the energy changes involved in a chemical change, which are based on empirical measurements similar to the type you will make.

Module 1 examines how energy changes in chemical reactions are determined and interpreted. In Science 10 you used calorimetry to investigate energy changes of physical changes. In this module you will use calorimetry to measure enthalpy changes. You will use standard molar enthalpies of formation to predict the magnitude of energy changes associated with chemical reactions.

Module 2 investigates the events and energy changes associated with chemical reactions from the molecular level. You will learn about activation energy and the role that catalysts have to play in chemical processes. You will understand the function of catalysts from the perspective of chemical energetics.

Because energy is a unifying theme throughout this course and in science, these two modules will be an important foundation for your study throughout this course. For example, in Unit B you will investigate electrochemical changes and further study energy conversions when matter undergoes change. Unit C involves an investigation of hydrocarbons, a common source of energy in society, and petrochemicals. Finally, Unit D involves a study of chemical equilibrium. As you will find, energy transfers between a chemical system and its surroundings can influence an equilibrium. The influence of energy in a chemical system is best exemplified by the many chemical processes that require energy in the form of heat or light in order to occur.

For clear viewing of equations in Microsoft(R) Office Word documents, Euclid fonts are required. You can download them from http://www.dessci.com/en/dl/fonts/getfont.asp if you do not already have them.

At the end of Unit A you will be able to

• determine and interpret energy changes in chemical reactions
• explain and communicate energy changes in chemical reactions

You will showcase what you have learned in the Unit A Assessment.

4. Energy in Chemical Reactions

In Module 2 you will keep investigating energy changes in chemical reactions by focusing on changes that occur at the molecular level.

You will continue the ecotour planning you began in Module 1 by considering using biodiesel in vehicles required by your ecotour. Biodiesel is an alternative fuel that can be produced from waste cooking or other oils. You will consider the production and use of biodiesel from a variety of perspectives.

In Module 2 you will investigate the following question:

• What energy changes must be considered when designing chemical systems?

You will also continue to address the Module 1 questions:

• Should energy be given a higher priority when making decisions about society’s future?

• How does society use the energy of chemical changes?

• What are the impacts of energy use on the environment?

• How does society use knowledge of the energy associated with chemical processes to promote sustainability?

• In what ways have issues of energy use affected the development of past and present societies?

5. Check Your Understanding

Click here to attempt the PreQuiz for this unit.  You must earn at least a 70% on the PreQuiz before you are able to proceed to the first lesson.

6. Continue to the First Lesson

Click here to continue to the Lessons