CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY
Hesse’s law
Hessov zakonHesse’s law says that reaction heat of some chemical change does not depend on the way in which the reaction is conducted, but only on starting and ending system state. Hesse’s law is also known as the law of constant heat summation. Hesse’s law is also known as the law of constant heat summation. The law was first put forward in 1840 by the Swiss-born Russian chemist Germain Henri Hess (1802-1850).
Hesse’s law can be used to obtain thermodynamic data that cannot be measured directly. For example, it is very difficult to control the oxidation of graphite to give pure CO. However, enthalpy for the oxidation of graphite to CO2 can easily be measured. So can the enthalpy of oxidation of CO to CO2. The application of Hess’s law enables us to estimate the enthalpy of formation of CO.
| C(s) + O2(g) →← CO2(g) | ΔrH1 = -393 kJ mol-1 |
| CO(g) + 1/2O2(g) →← CO2(g) | ΔrH2 = -283 kJ mol-1 |
| C(s) + 1/2O2(g) →← CO(g) | ΔrH3 = -110 kJ mol-1 |
The equation shows the standard enthalpy of formation of CO to be -110 kJ/mol.
Citing this page:
Generalic, Eni. "Hesse’s law." Croatian-English Chemistry Dictionary & Glossary. 29 June 2022. KTF-Split. {Date of access}. <https://glossary.periodni.com>.
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