a student is using a thermometer to measure an endothermic reaction. what should her temperature data show?

The reaction beaker feels warm when she picks it up.
The temperature of the materials goes up as the chemical reaction progresses.
The temperature of the starting materials and ending materials do not change.
The temperature of the materials goes down as the chemical reaction progresses.

3 answers

In an endothermic reaction, the system absorbs heat from the surroundings, which typically results in a drop in temperature. Therefore, the correct observation from the options provided would be:

The temperature of the materials goes down as the chemical reaction progresses.

This indicates that the reaction is absorbing heat, which is characteristic of an endothermic process. The beaker may feel cool to the touch as heat is drawn in from the surroundings.

Are you sure

Yes, I am sure. In an endothermic reaction, the reaction absorbs heat from its surroundings, leading to a decrease in temperature of the materials involved. Therefore, if a student is measuring the temperature during an endothermic reaction, the data should show that:

The temperature of the materials goes down as the chemical reaction progresses.

This is consistent with the definition of an endothermic reaction, where energy (in the form of heat) is absorbed, causing the temperature of the reaction mixture to decrease. If the beaker feels warm, that could be due to external factors unrelated to the reaction or due to the thermal conductivity of the materials used. But fundamentally, the materials undergoing an endothermic reaction should exhibit a temperature drop.