
Hess's law, also known as Hess's law of constant heat summation, is a principle in physical chemistry and thermodynamics formulated by Swiss-born Russian chemist and physician Germain Hess in 1840. The law states that the total enthalpy change during a chemical reaction is independent of the sequence of steps taken. In other words, the overall enthalpy change is the same whether the reaction occurs in one step or several steps, as long as the initial and final states are the same. This law is useful for determining the enthalpy changes in various chemical reactions, especially those that can be divided into multiple steps. While Hess's law primarily focuses on enthalpy changes, it can also be applied to other state functions, including changes in entropy and Gibbs free energy. By combining Hess's law with the Bordwell thermodynamic cycle, it is possible to determine experimentally inaccessible Gibbs free energy values and calculate the spontaneity of a reaction.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hess's Law | Hess's law of constant heat summation, also known as Hess's law, is a relationship in physical chemistry and thermodynamics named after Germain Hess, a Swiss-born Russian chemist and physician who published it in 1840. |
| Enthalpy | Enthalpy is an extensive property, meaning its value is proportional to the system size. Hess's law allows the calculation of the enthalpy change (ΔH) for a reaction even when it cannot be measured directly. |
| State Function | Hess's law applies to state functions like changes in Gibbs' energy and entropy, allowing the determination of the overall energy required for a chemical reaction. |
| Spontaneity | The sign of the values for the change in free energy (ΔG), enthalpy (ΔH), and entropy (ΔS) can be used to determine if a reaction is spontaneous. If ΔG is negative, the reaction is spontaneous. |
| Gibbs Free Energy | The concepts of Hess's law can be expanded to include changes in Gibbs free energy. Combining ΔG and ΔH values can help determine entropy values that need to be calculated through alternative paths. |
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What You'll Learn
- Hess's Law can be used to calculate the enthalpy change (ΔH) for a reaction
- It can be used to determine the spontaneity of a reaction
- Hess's Law can be applied to calculate the Gibbs free energy change (ΔG)
- It can be used to determine the overall energy required for a chemical reaction
- Hess's Law can be used to calculate the standard enthalpy change

Hess's Law can be used to calculate the enthalpy change (ΔH) for a reaction
Hess's Law, also known as Hess's Law of Constant Heat Summation, is a relationship in physical chemistry and thermodynamics. It was formulated by Germain Hess, a Swiss-born Russian chemist and physician, and published in 1840.
The law is based on the concept that the total enthalpy change during a chemical reaction is independent of the sequence of steps taken. In other words, the enthalpy change for a reaction is the same whether it occurs in one step or several steps, as long as the initial and final states of the reactants and products remain unchanged. This is because enthalpy is a state function, and its value is proportional to the system size.
By applying Hess's Law, we can determine the enthalpy change for complex reactions that cannot be easily measured in the laboratory. For example, the standard enthalpy change for the reaction of PbCO3(s) to PbO(s) and CO2(g) can be calculated by looking up the standard ΔH values for the formation of CO2(g) and PbO(s) and subtracting them from the ΔH formation for PbCO3(s). This allows for the prediction of enthalpy changes in complex synthesis.
Furthermore, Hess's Law can be expanded to include changes in entropy and Gibbs free energy, as they are also state functions. By combining ΔG values from Bordwell thermodynamic cycles with ΔH values from Hess's Law, it is possible to determine entropy values that have not been directly measured.
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It can be used to determine the spontaneity of a reaction
Hess's law, also known as Hess's law of constant heat summation, is a relationship in physical chemistry and thermodynamics. It was formulated by Germain Hess, a Swiss-born Russian chemist and physician, and published in 1840. The law states that the total enthalpy change during a chemical reaction is independent of the sequence of steps taken. In other words, the overall enthalpy change is the same regardless of whether the reaction takes place in one step or multiple steps, as long as the initial and final states are the same.
Now, how does this relate to spontaneity? Spontaneity in a chemical reaction refers to whether or not the reaction will occur without external intervention. This is determined by the change in Gibbs free energy (ΔG). If ΔG is negative, the reaction is spontaneous, if it is positive, it is not spontaneous, and if it is zero, the system is at equilibrium.
Hess's law can be used to determine the change in enthalpy (ΔH) for a reaction, even when it cannot be directly measured. This is done by performing algebraic operations on the chemical equations of reactions using previously determined values for the enthalpies of formation. The sum of the enthalpy changes for each step will give the enthalpy change for the overall reaction.
While Hess's law primarily focuses on enthalpy changes, it can also be expanded to include changes in entropy (ΔS) and Gibbs free energy (ΔG). By combining ΔG values from Bordwell thermodynamic cycles with ΔH values found using Hess's law, it is possible to determine entropy values that have not been directly measured. This allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the spontaneity of a reaction.
In summary, Hess's law provides a valuable tool for calculating the overall enthalpy change in a chemical reaction, even when it involves multiple steps. By determining the enthalpy change and combining it with entropy and Gibbs free energy considerations, Hess's law can help assess the spontaneity of a reaction. This makes it a useful concept in the field of physical chemistry and thermodynamics.
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Hess's Law can be applied to calculate the Gibbs free energy change (ΔG)
Hess's Law, also known as Hess's Law of Constant Heat Summation, is a principle in physical chemistry and thermodynamics. It was formulated by Swiss-born Russian chemist and physician Germain Hess in 1840. The law states that the total enthalpy change during a chemical reaction is independent of the sequence of steps taken, provided that the initial and final states of the reactants and products are the same. In other words, the overall enthalpy change is the same whether a chemical change occurs in one step or several steps.
Hess's Law is useful for determining the enthalpy changes in various chemical reactions, especially those involving unstable intermediates, phase transitions, and ionic substances. This is achieved by summing up the enthalpy changes for each step of the reaction until the product is formed. Enthalpy (H) is a state function, and its value depends only on the initial and final states, not on the path taken.
The concepts of Hess's Law can be extended beyond enthalpy changes to include changes in entropy (S) and Gibbs free energy (G). This is because entropy and Gibbs free energy are also state functions. By combining the ΔG° values from the Bordwell thermodynamic cycle with the ΔH° values found using Hess's Law, it is possible to determine entropy values that have not been directly measured.
Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) can be calculated using the equation: ΔG = ΔH - TΔS, where T is the temperature in Kelvin. The values for ΔG, ΔH, and ΔS are measured in kJ and joules, respectively. The signs of these values can indicate whether a reaction is spontaneous. For example, if ΔG is negative, the reaction is spontaneous, whereas if it is positive, the reaction is not spontaneous. At equilibrium, ΔG is zero.
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It can be used to determine the overall energy required for a chemical reaction
Hess's law, also known as Hess's law of constant heat summation, is a principle in physical chemistry and thermodynamics. It was formulated by Swiss-born Russian chemist and physician Germain Hess in 1840. The law states that the total enthalpy change during a chemical reaction is independent of the sequence of steps taken. In other words, the overall enthalpy change is the same whether the reaction takes place in one step or several steps, as long as the initial and final states of the reactants and products are the same.
Hess's law is particularly useful for determining the overall energy required for a chemical reaction. This is because it allows for the calculation of the enthalpy change (ΔH) even when it cannot be directly measured. By performing basic algebraic operations on the chemical equations of reactions using previously determined values for the enthalpies of formation, the enthalpy change for the overall reaction can be found. This is especially helpful for complex reactions that can be divided into simpler synthetic steps.
For example, consider the unbalanced reaction at 25°C: PbCO3(s) --> PbO(s) + CO2(g). To calculate the standard enthalpy change (ΔH°) for this reaction, one would need to look up the standard ΔH° values for the formation of CO2(g) and PbO(s), add them together, and then subtract that value from the ΔH° formation for PbCO3(s). This calculation gives the ΔH° for the reaction.
Additionally, Hess's law can be expanded to include changes in entropy (ΔS°) and Gibbs free energy (ΔG°). By combining ΔG° values from Bordwell thermodynamic cycles and ΔH° values found using Hess's law, it is possible to determine entropy values that have not been directly measured. This is achieved through the equation: ΔG = ΔH - TΔS, where T is the temperature in Kelvin. These values can then be used to determine whether a reaction is spontaneous, at equilibrium, or not spontaneous at standard conditions.
In summary, Hess's law provides a valuable tool for calculating the overall energy required for a chemical reaction by allowing for the determination of enthalpy changes, even when direct measurements are not feasible. Furthermore, its applicability has been extended to include calculations involving entropy and Gibbs free energy, making it a versatile concept in the field of chemistry.
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Hess's Law can be used to calculate the standard enthalpy change
Hess's law, also known as Hess's law of constant heat summation, is a principle in physical chemistry and thermodynamics formulated by Swiss-born Russian chemist and physician Germain Hess in 1840. The law states that the total enthalpy change during a chemical reaction is independent of the sequence of steps taken. In other words, the overall enthalpy change is the same whether the reaction occurs in one step or multiple steps, as long as the initial and final states of the reactants and products remain unchanged.
Hess's law is based on the fact that enthalpy is a state function, which means it only depends on the initial and final states of a system, regardless of the path taken. This allows us to calculate the overall change in enthalpy by summing up the changes for each step of a chemical reaction until the product is formed. Enthalpy change, ΔH, represents the amount of heat absorbed or released during a reaction and is influenced by the number of moles participating in the reaction.
By applying Hess's law, we can determine the standard enthalpy change (ΔH°) for a reaction even when the enthalpies of formation for some components are unknown. This is achieved by performing algebraic operations using the chemical equations of reactions and previously determined values for the enthalpies of formation. For example, consider the reaction: PbCO3(s) --> PbO(s) + CO2(g). To calculate ΔH°, we need to look up the standard ΔH°f values for the formation of CO2(g) and PbO(s), add them together, and then subtract that value from the ΔH°f value for PbCO3(s).
Additionally, Hess's law can be extended to include changes in entropy (ΔS°) and Gibbs free energy (ΔG°). By combining ΔG° values from Bordwell thermodynamic cycles and ΔH° values from Hess's law, we can determine entropy values that cannot be directly measured. This approach is particularly useful in predicting the enthalpy change in complex synthesis and calculating other state functions.
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Frequently asked questions
Hess's Law, or Hess's Law of Constant Heat Summation, is a relationship in physical chemistry and thermodynamics named after Germain Hess, a Swiss-born Russian chemist and physician. It states that the total enthalpy change during a chemical reaction is independent of the sequence of steps taken.
The concepts of Hess's Law can be expanded to include changes in Gibbs free energy, as it is a state function. By combining ΔG values from Bordwell thermodynamic cycles and ΔH values found with Hess's Law, we can determine entropy values that need to be calculated through alternative paths.
To calculate free energy, you need to find the total enthalpy of the products minus the enthalpy of the reactants. This can be done by summing up the enthalpy changes for each step of the reaction. The sign of the values for the change in free energy (ΔG) can then be used to determine if the equation is spontaneous.














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