What is Exothermic Reaction in Chemistry? An exothermic reaction refers to a chemical process in which energy, usually as heat, is released into the surroundings . This means the products of the reaction have less energy than the reactants. Learn what an exothermic reaction is, how to identify it, and see examples of common exothermic reactions in chemistry and nature. Find out how to calculate the enthalpy change and the activation energy of an exothermic reaction . Conclusion Exothermic reactions show how chemistry can transform the world, one reaction at a time. By releasing energy to their surroundings, exothermic reactions drive everything from warming our hands on a chilly day to fuelling industrial production. Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions Endothermic and exothermic reactions can be thought of as having energy as either a reactant of the reaction or a product. Endothermic reactions require energy, so energy is a reactant. Heat flows from the surroundings to the system ( reaction mixture) and the enthalpy of the system increases (Δ H is positive).
