Is enthalpy of hydration always negative?

Answer 1

Indeed.

The enthalpy change that occurs when one mole of aqueous ions is formed from one mole of gaseous ions is known as the enthalpy change of hydration. During this process, bonds or attractions are formed between the ions and the molecules of water; no bonds are broken, and therefore there is no endothermic step in hydration; instead, the energy released is the result of the bonds being formed.

Recall that energy is released during bond formation (exothermic step) and required during bond breaking (endothermic step).

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Answer 2

Peyton Adams

No, the enthalpy of hydration can be either positive or negative depending on the specific substance and the interaction between the solute molecules and water molecules.

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Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.