Endothermic - IGCSE Chemistry Definition
Reviewed by: Alexandra Brennan
Last updated
What are endothermic reactions?
In IGCSE chemistry, an endothermic reaction is a chemical reaction that absorbs heat energy from its surroundings, causing a drop in temperature. This occurs because the energy required to break bonds in the reactants is greater than the energy released when new bonds form in the products.
Common examples include thermal decomposition, photosynthesis, and the reaction between citric acid and sodium hydrogen carbonate.
In IGCSE Chemistry, endothermic reactions are studied in energy changes and are often represented using energy level diagrams, where the products have more energy than the reactants.
Endothermic Revision Resources to Ace Your Exams
For more information about endothermic reactions check out the following resources:
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