Born Haber Cycles Questions

Born-Haber Calculations

Thermodynamics Worksheet

Reference Data

Enthalpy of Atomisation (kJ mol⁻¹)
LiONaMgClKCaCuBr
159.4249.2107.3147.7121.789.2178.2338.3111.9
Ionisation Enthalpy (kJ mol⁻¹)
Element1st IE2nd IE
Li520.07298
Na520.04563
K419.03052
Mg738.01451
Ca5901145
Cu746.01958
Electron Affinity (kJ mol⁻¹)
Element1st EA2nd EA
Br-324.6
O-141.1798
Lattice Enthalpy of Formation (kJ mol⁻¹)
Na₂O-2478.0
MgCl₂-2526.0
KBr-679.0
CaBr₂-2178.0
CuO-4104.0
Cu₂O-3244.7
Enthalpy of Formation (kJ mol⁻¹)
LiBr-351.2
MgCl₂-641.3
KBr-393.8
CaBr₂-682.8

Calculations

1. Construct a Born Haber Cycle for LiBr and use the information in the table to calculate the lattice enthalpy of formation of LiBr.
Answer for LiBr Cycle
Working Out: ΔHf = ΔHat(Li) + ΔHIE1(Li) + ΔHat(Br) + ΔHEA1(Br) + LE -351.2 = 159.4 + 520.0 + 111.9 + (-324.6) + LE -351.2 = 466.7 + LE LE = -351.2 – 466.7 LE = -817.9 kJ mol⁻¹
2. Construct a Born Haber Cycle for Na2O and use the information in the table to calculate the enthalpy of formation of Na2O.
Answer for Na2O Cycle
Working Out: ΔHf = 2ΔHat(Na) + 2ΔHIE1(Na) + ΔHat(O) + ΔHEA1(O) + ΔHEA2(O) + LE ΔHf = 2(107.3) + 2(520.0) + 249.2 + (-141.1) + 798 + (-2478.0) ΔHf = 214.6 + 1040.0 + 249.2 – 141.1 + 798 – 2478.0 ΔHf = -317.3 kJ mol⁻¹
3. Construct a Born Haber Cycle for MgCl2 and use the information in the table to calculate the first electron affinity of chlorine.
Answer for MgCl2 Cycle
Working Out: ΔHf = ΔHat(Mg) + ΔHIE1(Mg) + ΔHIE2(Mg) + 2ΔHat(Cl) + 2EA + LE -641.3 = 147.7 + 738.0 + 1451 + 2(121.7) + 2EA + (-2526.0) -641.3 = 2336.7 + 243.4 – 2526.0 + 2EA -641.3 = 54.1 + 2EA 2EA = -695.4 EA = -347.7 kJ mol⁻¹
4. Construct Born Haber cycles for CuO and Cu2O and calculate the enthalpy of formation of each compound. Explain why the results of these Born Haber cycles do not support the known stability of the two compounds and suggest why this discrepancy does not matter.
Answer for Cu2O Calculation
Working Out (Cu₂O): ΔHf = 2ΔHat(Cu) + 2IE1 + ΔHat(O) + EA1 + EA2 + LE ΔHf = 2(338.3) + 2(746.0) + 249.2 – 141.1 + 798 – 3244.7 ΔHf = 676.6 + 1492.0 + 249.2 – 141.1 + 798 – 3244.7 ΔHf = -170.0 kJ mol⁻¹
Answer for CuO Calculation
Working Out (CuO): ΔHf = ΔHat(Cu) + IE1 + IE2 + ΔHat(O) + EA1 + EA2 + LE ΔHf = 338.3 + 746.0 + 1958 + 249.2 – 141.1 + 798 – 4104.0 ΔHf = -155.6 kJ mol⁻¹
5. Construct Born Haber cycles for CaBr2 and KBr and use them to calculate the first electron affinity of bromine according to each cycle. Suggest a reason why they do not give the same value.
Answer for CaBr2 Calculation
Working Out (CaBr₂): ΔHf = ΔHat(Ca) + IE1 + IE2 + 2ΔHat(Br) + 2EA + LE -682.8 = 178.2 + 590 + 1145 + 2(111.9) + 2EA – 2178.0 -682.8 = 1913.2 + 223.8 – 2178.0 + 2EA -682.8 = -41.0 + 2EA 2EA = -641.8 EA = -320.9 kJ mol⁻¹
Answer for KBr Calculation
Working Out (KBr): ΔHf = ΔHat(K) + IE1 + ΔHat(Br) + EA + LE -393.8 = 89.2 + 419.0 + 111.9 + EA – 679.0 -393.8 = -58.9 + EA EA = -334.9 kJ mol⁻¹

The formation data is determined from an experiment, so there is a small amount of error.