[Physics] Do chemical bonds have mass

binding-energymass-energyphysical-chemistryspecial-relativitythermodynamics

When an exothermic reaction occurs, the energy in the chemical bonds of the reactants is partially transferred to the chemical bonds of the products. The remaining energy is released as heat.

For example:

$$\mathrm{N_2 + 3H_2 \to 2NH_3} \qquad \Delta G^\circ = -32.96 \,\rm kJ/mol$$

Therefore, when $1\,\rm mol$ of nitrogen reacts with $3\,\rm mol$ of hydrogen (under standard conditions), we get $32.96\,\rm kJ$ of heat.

Now, applying $E=mc^2$, this works out to be

$$m = 32.96 \times (3 \times 10^{-8})^2 = 2.96 \times 10^{-14} \,\rm kg \quad \text{or} \quad 29.6\, pg$$

Does this relationship hold? Do the products of an exothermic reaction really weigh ever so slightly less than the reactants?

In a more general sense, does removing energy from a system decrease its mass (or vice versa)?

Best Answer

As far as the theory goes, you are absolutely correct, the (negative) binding energy between atoms in a molecule contributes to the total mass of that molecule, so a stable molecule is less massive than the sum of the masses of its constituent atoms.

However (as you yourself calculated), the mass difference is absolutely tiny, and as far as I know, it has never been measured. But the principle is no different from the mass deficit that occurs in nuclear reactions and that, in turn, is readily measurable. Consider the atomic mass of deuterium ($2.01410178\,\rm u$) vs. helium ($4.002602\,\rm u$), which is about $0.64\%$ less than the mass of two deuterium atoms. The difference is the energy that would be released in a fusion reaction.

So yes, in general, removing energy from a system decreases its mass, and conversely, adding energy to the system increases its mass. The most extreme example perhaps would be protons and neutrons: roughly $99\%$ of their masses come from the (positive) binding energy between their constituent quarks, and only about $1\%$ is attributed to the quark rest masses.

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