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enthalpy


Definition of enthalpy

noun

Physics
  • a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the total heat content of a system. It is equal to the internal energy of the system plus the product of pressure and volume. (Symbol: H)
  • the change in enthalpy associated with a particular chemical process: most compounds have negative enthalpies of formation

Origin:

1920s: from Greek enthalpein 'warm in', from en- 'within' + thalpein 'to heat'

enthalpy in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of enthalpy in the US English dictionary