alleryStart learning →In an exothermic reaction, how does the energy of the products compare with the energy of the reactants?
ALess than the reactants
BMore than the reactants
CEqual to the reactants
DDouble the reactants
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. Less than the reactants
1. An exothermic reaction releases energy in the form of heat or light.
2. The energy released comes out of the chemical system itself.
3. The energy of the products is therefore less than the energy of the reactants.
4. Products with more energy than the reactants would describe an endothermic reaction instead.
_Source: Siyavula Physical Sciences Grade 11 (Everything Science, CC BY 4.0), Chapter 12: Energy and chemical change_
Keep practising Energy and chemical change
Browse all Energy and chemical change questions for UCE (O-Level), or explore more Chemistry topics.
Related questions
Tap the changes that fitThe activated complex forms while the reactant bonds break and the product bonds form. HowWhat is the minimum amount of energy that must be supplied before a chemical reaction willPhotosynthesis absorbs energy from sunlight while it takes place. What type of reaction isFor an endothermic reaction, what is the sign of the enthalpy change of the system?What happens to energy when a chemical bond is broken?