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Exothermic - GCSE Chemistry Definition

Reviewed by: Richard Boole

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Exothermic refers to a type of chemical reaction or process that releases energy in the form of heat or light to the surroundings. In an exothermic reaction, the energy given out is usually greater than the energy taken in. This means that the surroundings often feel warmer as a result of the reaction. Common examples include burning fuels, like wood or gas, and reactions that occur in hand warmers. Exothermic reactions are important in GCSE Chemistry because they help us understand how energy is released during chemical reactions and how this affects the temperature of the surroundings.

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Richard Boole

Reviewer: Richard Boole

Expertise: Chemistry Content Creator

Richard has taught Chemistry for over 15 years as well as working as a science tutor, examiner, content creator and author. He wasn’t the greatest at exams and only discovered how to revise in his final year at university. That knowledge made him want to help students learn how to revise, challenge them to think about what they actually know and hopefully succeed; so here he is, happily, at SME.

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