Reactions That Release or Absorb Heat
Distinguish between exothermic reactions (release energy, temperature rises) and endothermic reactions (absorb energy, temperature falls), with everyday and industrial examples
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“If your child shook a sports cold pack to activate it and it got cold, or lit a match and it got hot, could they explain what type of reaction is happening in each case and why one gets hot while the other gets cold?”
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- Activity. Distinguish between exothermic reactions (release energy, temperature rises) and endothermic reactions (absorb energy, temperature falls), with everyday and industrial examples
What to notice. Defines exothermic and endothermic in terms of energy transfer to and from the surroundings • Gives two examples of each type from everyday life (e.g. combustion, hand warmers; photosynthesis, cold packs) • Explains energy changes during changes of state (melting is endothermic, freezing is exothermic) • Interprets a temperature change in an experiment to classify the reaction type
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If your child shook a sports cold pack to activate it and it got cold, or lit a match and it got hot, could they explain what type of reaction is happening in each case and why one gets hot while the other gets cold?
Distinguish between exothermic reactions (release energy, temperature rises) and endothermic reactions (absorb energy, temperature falls), with everyday and industrial examples
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Check understanding
- Defines exothermic and endothermic in terms of energy transfer to and from the surroundings
- Gives two examples of each type from everyday life (e.g. combustion, hand warmers; photosynthesis, cold packs)
- Explains energy changes during changes of state (melting is endothermic, freezing is exothermic)
- Interprets a temperature change in an experiment to classify the reaction type
“If your child shook a sports cold pack to activate it and it got cold, or lit a match and it got hot, could they explain what type of reaction is happening in each case and why one gets hot while the other gets cold?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Conceptual
- Subject
- Science
- Domain
- Matter & Materials
- Age range
- Ages 12–13
Standards