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Enthalpy of Formation

Definition

The enthalpy change that occurs when one mole of a compound is formed from its constituent elements in their standard states.

Analogy

Imagine you're building a Lego castle. The energy it takes to put together all the individual Lego pieces into the final castle structure can be thought of as the enthalpy of formation.

Related terms

Heat of Reaction: The total amount of heat absorbed or released during a chemical reaction.

Bond Energy: The amount of energy required to break one mole of a bond in a substance to separate atoms in gas phase.

Hess's Law: A law stating that the total enthalpy change for a reaction is independent of the pathway, i.e., it depends only on the initial and final states.

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AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.