A chemist is performing a chemical reaction under a fume hood. The chemist has a set of beakers, flasks, and tubes set up under the fume hood, with various liquids being combined inside the glass containers. The fume hood is turned on in order to withdraw any toxic gases and expel them outside the building. Which part of this system is designated as the surroundings?

Question

A. liquid contents of the glass containers
B. gasses inside the glass containers
C. outside the fume hood
D. the glass containers

Answer 1

In the context of thermodynamics, the "surroundings" refers to everything that is not part of the system we are studying. In this scenario, the system can be considered the chemical reaction taking place in the glass containers (the beakers, flasks, and tubes) along with their liquid contents.

Given that definition, the surroundings would be everything outside that system, which primarily includes:

C. outside the fume hood

Therefore, the correct answer is C, as it encompasses all ambient conditions and elements that are not part of the chemical reaction itself within the glass containers.