{"id":2540,"date":"2026-09-18T11:49:23","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T11:49:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/blog\/?p=2540"},"modified":"2026-09-18T11:49:24","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T11:49:24","slug":"endothermic-vs-exothermic-reactions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/blog\/endothermic-vs-exothermic-reactions\/","title":{"rendered":"Endothermic vs. Exothermic Reactions"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"2540\" class=\"elementor elementor-2540\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b0e2675 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b0e2675\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-93bf4a9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"93bf4a9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An endothermic reaction absorbs heat from its surroundings, so the surroundings feel colder as the reaction proceeds. An exothermic reaction releases heat into its surroundings, so the surroundings feel warmer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both are common types of chemical reactions, and the difference between endothermic and exothermic reactions ultimately traces back to whether breaking and forming chemical bonds takes in more energy than it gives out, or the other way around. This endothermic vs. exothermic reactions comparison shows up across chemistry, biology, and everyday life, from cooking to combustion.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>What Is an Endothermic Reaction?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An endothermic reaction is a chemical reaction that absorbs energy from its surroundings, usually as heat. Because the reaction pulls heat in rather than releasing it, the surrounding environment cools while the reaction takes place.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The word comes from the Greek roots &#8220;endo,&#8221; meaning within, and &#8220;thermic,&#8221; meaning heat, describing a process in which heat moves inward into the reaction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A cold pack used for sports injuries is a practical demonstration of an endothermic reaction. Squeezing the pack triggers ammonium nitrate to dissolve in water, and this dissolution absorbs heat from the surroundings, which is why the pack feels cold to the touch. Photosynthesis is another example: plants absorb light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen, storing that energy in glucose&#8217;s chemical bonds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Read more:<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/blog\/ai-explainer-video-tool\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">See how a narrated video breaks down concepts step by step<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> instead of just reading a textbook definition.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>What Is an Exothermic Reaction?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An exothermic reaction is a chemical reaction that releases energy into its surroundings, usually as heat and sometimes as light. Because the reaction gives off heat, the surroundings warm up as the reaction proceeds. The prefix &#8220;exo&#8221; means outward, describing a process where heat moves outward from the reaction into the environment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Combustion is the clearest everyday example of an exothermic reaction. Burning wood, natural gas, or any hydrocarbon fuel releases a large amount of energy as heat and light, which is exactly why fire feels hot.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Neutralization reactions, in which an acid reacts with a base, are also exothermic, releasing heat as new bonds form between ions in solution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ocw.mit.edu\/courses\/5-60-thermodynamics-kinetics-spring-2008\/resources\/lecture-6-thermochemistry\/\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MIT OpenCourseWare<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> lecture notes on thermochemistry, the heat of reaction is the change in enthalpy between the products and reactants of a reaction carried out at constant pressure, and a negative value indicates heat has been released, making the reaction exothermic.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>How Do Endothermic Reactions Work?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Endothermic reactions work by absorbing more energy to break the existing bonds in the reactants than is released when new bonds form in the products. Every chemical reaction involves two energy-related steps: breaking the bonds in the starting materials, which always requires an input of energy, and forming new bonds in the products, which always releases energy. In an endothermic reaction, the energy needed to break the original bonds is greater than the energy given off when the new bonds form.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That leftover energy deficit comes from the surroundings. This is why touching an endothermic reaction in progress, like a cold pack activating or citric acid reacting with baking soda, feels cold: the reaction actively pulls heat energy from your hand and the surrounding air to complete the bond-breaking step.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>How Do Exothermic Reactions Work?<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"auto\">Understanding how these heat-releasing reactions work starts with the opposite balance<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: the energy released when new bonds form in the products is greater than the energy required to break the bonds in the original reactants. Once that surplus of energy is freed up, it has to go somewhere, and it moves outward into the surrounding environment as heat, and sometimes light.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is also why many exothermic reactions, once started, keep going on their own. The heat released in an early stage of the reaction can supply enough energy to trigger the next stage, which is part of why a fire spreads once it catches, and why some exothermic reactions can become dangerous if the released heat isn&#8217;t controlled or dissipated properly.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/for-students\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/studio\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upload a chemistry problem to Think10x.ai<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and get a narrated video walking through the energy changes step by step.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2>Difference Between Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is a direct comparison of endothermic vs. exothermic reactions.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1436ec5 eael-table-align-center eael-dt-th-align-left elementor-widget elementor-widget-eael-data-table\" data-id=\"1436ec5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"eael-data-table.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"eael-data-table-wrap\" data-table_id=\"1436ec5\" id=\"eael-data-table-wrapper-1436ec5\" data-custom_responsive=\"false\">\n\t\t\t<table class=\"tablesorter eael-data-table center\" id=\"eael-data-table-1436ec5\">\n\t\t\t    <thead>\n\t\t\t        <tr class=\"table-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t            <th class=\"\" id=\"\" colspan=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"data-table-header-text\">Feature<\/span><\/th>\n\t\t\t        \t\t\t\t            <th class=\"\" id=\"\" colspan=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"data-table-header-text\">Endothermic Reaction<\/span><\/th>\n\t\t\t        \t\t\t\t            <th class=\"\" id=\"\" colspan=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"data-table-header-text\">Exothermic Reaction<\/span><\/th>\n\t\t\t        \t\t\t\t        <\/tr>\n\t\t\t    <\/thead>\n\t\t\t  \t<tbody>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEnergy flow\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAbsorbs energy from surroundings\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tReleases energy into surroundings\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\n\t\t\t        \t\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTemperature change of surroundings\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDecreases\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIncreases\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\n\t\t\t        \t\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEnthalpy change (\u0394H)\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPositive\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNegative\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\n\t\t\t        \t\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBond energy comparison\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBreaking bonds requires more energy than forming bonds releases\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tForming bonds releases more energy than breaking bonds requires\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\n\t\t\t        \t\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCommon feel\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCold to the touch\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWarm or hot to the touch\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\n\t\t\t        \t\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCommon examples\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhotosynthesis, melting ice, cold packs\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCombustion, neutralization, rusting\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\n\t\t\t        \t\t\t    <\/tbody>\n\t\t\t<\/table>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t  \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bf020fa elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bf020fa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Endothermic and Exothermic Reaction Examples<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"auto\">Here are common examples that appear in coursework and everyday life:<\/p>\n<h3>Endothermic examples:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Photosynthesis: plants absorb light energy to build glucose from carbon dioxide and water.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Melting ice: solid water absorbs heat energy to become liquid water.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cooking an egg: heat energy is absorbed to break down proteins and change their structure.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate: heating limestone absorbs energy to produce calcium oxide and carbon dioxide.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Exothermic examples:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Combustion: burning fuel releases heat and light energy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Neutralization: mixing an acid and a base releases heat as water and salt form.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rusting: the slow oxidation of iron releases a small amount of heat over time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Respiration: cells break down glucose and release energy that powers the body.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Test Your Understanding<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try answering these before checking the answers below, or<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/video-library\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">browse more chemistry explanations<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the Think10x.ai video library.<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>If a reaction feels cold to the touch, is it endothermic or exothermic?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Answer: Endothermic. A reaction that feels cold is absorbing heat from your hand and the surrounding air.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Does an exothermic reaction have a positive or negative enthalpy change?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Answer: Negative. Releasing energy corresponds to a decrease in the system&#8217;s enthalpy, so \u0394H is negative for exothermic reactions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Photosynthesis absorbs light energy to build glucose. Is this endothermic or exothermic?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Answer: Endothermic. The plant is absorbing energy from its surroundings (sunlight) to drive the reaction forward.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>How Think10x. ai Helps With Chemistry Topics Like This<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think10x.ai is built to clear up chemistry questions about reaction energy: type, speak, or photograph a textbook page, and it becomes a narrated video that walks through the bond-breaking and bond-forming steps individually, so the direction of energy flow becomes clear rather than something to memorize.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try it with your next chemistry problem<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and see the full walkthrough in under two minutes.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2b9b9a8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-eael-adv-accordion\" data-id=\"2b9b9a8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"eael-adv-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t            <div class=\"eael-adv-accordion\" id=\"eael-adv-accordion-2b9b9a8\" data-scroll-on-click=\"no\" data-scroll-speed=\"300\" data-accordion-id=\"2b9b9a8\" data-accordion-type=\"accordion\" data-toogle-speed=\"300\">\n            <div class=\"eael-accordion-list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"can-a-reaction-be-both-endothermic-and-exothermic-at-the-same-time\" class=\"elementor-tab-title eael-accordion-header\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"1\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-4571\"><span class=\"eael-advanced-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fa-accordion-icon e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"eael-advanced-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fa-accordion-icon e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"eael-accordion-tab-title\">Can a reaction be both endothermic and exothermic at the same time?<\/span><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fa-toggle e-font-icon-svg e-fas-angle-right\" viewBox=\"0 0 256 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M224.3 273l-136 136c-9.4 9.4-24.6 9.4-33.9 0l-22.6-22.6c-9.4-9.4-9.4-24.6 0-33.9l96.4-96.4-96.4-96.4c-9.4-9.4-9.4-24.6 0-33.9L54.3 103c9.4-9.4 24.6-9.4 33.9 0l136 136c9.5 9.4 9.5 24.6.1 34z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><div id=\"elementor-tab-content-4571\" class=\"eael-accordion-content clearfix\" data-tab=\"1\" aria-labelledby=\"can-a-reaction-be-both-endothermic-and-exothermic-at-the-same-time\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">No, not for the overall reaction. Every reaction has an overall net enthalpy change that is either positive or negative, though individual steps within a multi-step reaction can absorb or release energy differently before the overall balance is reached.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"eael-accordion-list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"is-an-exothermic-reaction-always-faster-than-an-endothermic-reaction\" class=\"elementor-tab-title eael-accordion-header\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"2\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-4572\"><span class=\"eael-advanced-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fa-accordion-icon e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"eael-advanced-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fa-accordion-icon e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"eael-accordion-tab-title\">Is an exothermic reaction always faster than an endothermic reaction?<\/span><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fa-toggle e-font-icon-svg e-fas-angle-right\" viewBox=\"0 0 256 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M224.3 273l-136 136c-9.4 9.4-24.6 9.4-33.9 0l-22.6-22.6c-9.4-9.4-9.4-24.6 0-33.9l96.4-96.4-96.4-96.4c-9.4-9.4-9.4-24.6 0-33.9L54.3 103c9.4-9.4 24.6-9.4 33.9 0l136 136c9.5 9.4 9.5 24.6.1 34z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><div id=\"elementor-tab-content-4572\" class=\"eael-accordion-content clearfix\" data-tab=\"2\" aria-labelledby=\"is-an-exothermic-reaction-always-faster-than-an-endothermic-reaction\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">No. Speed depends on activation energy and reaction conditions, not on whether the reaction is exothermic or endothermic. Some exothermic reactions, like rusting, are very slow, while some endothermic reactions can happen quickly once enough heat is supplied.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"eael-accordion-list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"do-endothermic-reactions-need-a-continuous-energy-source-to-keep-happening\" class=\"elementor-tab-title eael-accordion-header\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"3\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-4573\"><span class=\"eael-advanced-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fa-accordion-icon e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"eael-advanced-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fa-accordion-icon e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"eael-accordion-tab-title\">Do endothermic reactions need a continuous energy source to keep happening?<\/span><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fa-toggle e-font-icon-svg e-fas-angle-right\" viewBox=\"0 0 256 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M224.3 273l-136 136c-9.4 9.4-24.6 9.4-33.9 0l-22.6-22.6c-9.4-9.4-9.4-24.6 0-33.9l96.4-96.4-96.4-96.4c-9.4-9.4-9.4-24.6 0-33.9L54.3 103c9.4-9.4 24.6-9.4 33.9 0l136 136c9.5 9.4 9.5 24.6.1 34z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><div id=\"elementor-tab-content-4573\" class=\"eael-accordion-content clearfix\" data-tab=\"3\" aria-labelledby=\"do-endothermic-reactions-need-a-continuous-energy-source-to-keep-happening\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Often, yes. Many endothermic reactions stop if the external energy source, such as heat or light, is removed, since the reaction depends on that outside energy to keep breaking bonds. Photosynthesis stops in the dark for exactly this reason.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"eael-accordion-list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"why-do-exothermic-reactions-sometimes-need-a-small-energy-input-to-start\" class=\"elementor-tab-title eael-accordion-header\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"4\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-4574\"><span class=\"eael-advanced-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fa-accordion-icon e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"eael-advanced-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fa-accordion-icon e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"eael-accordion-tab-title\">Why do exothermic reactions sometimes need a small energy input to start?<\/span><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fa-toggle e-font-icon-svg e-fas-angle-right\" viewBox=\"0 0 256 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M224.3 273l-136 136c-9.4 9.4-24.6 9.4-33.9 0l-22.6-22.6c-9.4-9.4-9.4-24.6 0-33.9l96.4-96.4-96.4-96.4c-9.4-9.4-9.4-24.6 0-33.9L54.3 103c9.4-9.4 24.6-9.4 33.9 0l136 136c9.5 9.4 9.5 24.6.1 34z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><div id=\"elementor-tab-content-4574\" class=\"eael-accordion-content clearfix\" data-tab=\"4\" aria-labelledby=\"why-do-exothermic-reactions-sometimes-need-a-small-energy-input-to-start\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Even exothermic reactions usually require an initial amount of activation energy to begin breaking the first bonds, even though the overall reaction releases more energy than it takes in. Striking a match to start combustion is a common example of supplying that initial activation energy.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"eael-accordion-list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"how-is-enthalpy-change-measured-in-a-real-experiment\" class=\"elementor-tab-title eael-accordion-header\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tab=\"5\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-4575\"><span class=\"eael-advanced-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fa-accordion-icon e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"eael-advanced-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fa-accordion-icon e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"eael-accordion-tab-title\">How is enthalpy change measured in a real experiment?<\/span><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fa-toggle e-font-icon-svg e-fas-angle-right\" viewBox=\"0 0 256 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M224.3 273l-136 136c-9.4 9.4-24.6 9.4-33.9 0l-22.6-22.6c-9.4-9.4-9.4-24.6 0-33.9l96.4-96.4-96.4-96.4c-9.4-9.4-9.4-24.6 0-33.9L54.3 103c9.4-9.4 24.6-9.4 33.9 0l136 136c9.5 9.4 9.5 24.6.1 34z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><div id=\"elementor-tab-content-4575\" class=\"eael-accordion-content clearfix\" data-tab=\"5\" aria-labelledby=\"how-is-enthalpy-change-measured-in-a-real-experiment\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Enthalpy change is typically measured using calorimetry, where you record the temperature change of a known quantity of water or another substance before and after the reaction, then use that change to calculate how much heat was absorbed or released.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An endothermic reaction absorbs heat from its surroundings, so the surroundings feel colder as the reaction proceeds. An exothermic reaction releases heat into its surroundings, so the surroundings feel warmer.\u00a0 Both are common types of chemical reactions, and the difference between endothermic and exothermic reactions ultimately traces back to whether breaking and forming chemical bonds [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2545,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/media.mentomind.ai\/img\/t10x\/bp\/endothermic_vs_exothermic_reactions.webp","fifu_image_alt":"Endothermic vs exothermic reactions with energy changes and examples","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogs","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2540"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2540\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2550,"href":"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2540\/revisions\/2550"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2545"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.think10x.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}