Soojusvabastuvad

Soojusvabastuvad is an Estonian term that translates to "heat-releasing" or "exothermic" in English. It refers to a process or reaction that liberates thermal energy into its surroundings. In chemistry, this is a fundamental concept describing reactions where the enthalpy change is negative, meaning the system loses energy in the form of heat. Common examples of exothermic processes include combustion, neutralization reactions, and the setting of concrete.

The term can also be applied more broadly to physical phenomena. For instance, a material that undergoes a phase transition and releases heat as it changes state, such as water freezing into ice, could be described as soojusvabastuv. The opposite of soojusvabastuv is soojusneelav, which describes processes that absorb heat from their surroundings. Understanding whether a process is heat-releasing or heat-absorbing is crucial in various scientific and engineering applications, including thermodynamics, material science, and industrial process design. It helps in predicting temperature changes, managing energy flow, and ensuring the safe operation of chemical and physical systems.