Practice question · True or false
An element in its standard state is assigned a formation enthalpy of exactly zero.
Hints
- Is this a measured value or a chosen reference?
- Every scale needs an origin, and this is where thermochemistry puts it.
Show the answer
True
Why
True, it is a definition, not a measurement. Enthalpy has no absolute zero, so elements in their standard states are chosen as the reference point, exactly as sea level is chosen for altitude.
Practise Enthalpy and Thermochemistry
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