How do you tell, by looking at a chemical reaction, whether it is endothermic or exothermic?
by 
ErikaT
ANSWERS: 4
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I don't know if you can tell by looking, but you can by feeling. Exothermic releases heat, and endothermic takes in heat.
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My best guess would be expanding or contracting, but it might be easier to answer if we knew exactly what you were looking at.
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If light or sound is produced, for instance there is an explosion, it is exothermic. You could also look for thermal energy with an infrared filter (or just feel the heat). An endothermic reaction will need some heat source to happen. "In thermodynamics, the word exothermic "outside heating" describes a process or reaction that releases energy usually in the form of heat, but can also release energy in form of light (e.g. explosions), sound, or electricity (e.g. a battery)." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exothermic "In thermodynamics, the word endothermic "within-heating" describes a process or reaction that absorbs energy in the form of heat. Its etymology stems from the Greek prefix endo-, meaning “inside” and the Greek suffix –thermic, meaning “to heat”. " "Chemical endothermic reactions need heat to be performed. In a thermochemical reaction that is endothermic, the heat is placed on the reactants side (heat is necessary for and absorbed during the reaction)." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endothermic
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Only way to tell by looking is to look with some infrared detector unless its a powerful enough reaction to give off visible light but that would also probably cause an explosion. You'll feel heat from weak exothermic reaction with your hands.
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