say

Question

A -> B + 5kJ

would reactants have more enthalpy or products have more enthalpy?

I think first, the delta H would be negative. So H final must be less than H initial. So reactants have more enthalpy?

Answer 1

I think you are right although the question (and your answer) implies that we know the absolute enthalpy and we never know that. We can measure the change in enthalpy but we can't measure the absolute value of the enthalpy. That's why we have an arbitrary standard.