Exothermic Processes

Definition

Exothermic processes are chemical reactions that release energy, usually in the form of heat.

Related terms

Endothermic Process:

This is the opposite of an exothermic process. It's a chemical reaction that absorbs energy from its surroundings, usually as heat.

Activation Energy:

This is the minimum amount of energy required to start a chemical reaction. In our popcorn analogy, it's like the initial heat needed to make the kernels pop.

Heat of Reaction: This refers to the change in heat content during a chemical reaction. For our popcorn, it would be how much hotter your kitchen gets when you're popping corn.