Enthalpies

/ɛnˈθæl.piːz/ noun

Definition

Plural of enthalpy; measures of total heat content in a chemical system at constant pressure.

Etymology

From 'enthalpy,' coined in 1909 by Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes, combining Greek 'en-' (in) and 'thalpe' (warmth). A technical chemistry term for the sum of internal energy and the product of pressure and volume.

Kelly Says

Scientists invented 'enthalpy' to solve a puzzle about heat in chemical reactions—it's why chemists can predict whether reactions will release or absorb energy, which matters for everything from explosives to refrigerators!

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