Please explain the differences between exothermic and endothermic reactions, and include the criteria you used to distinguish between them. Additionally, please provide a real-world example to illustrate your explanation.

Ex oth erm ic and end oth erm ic re actions are two types of chemical re actions that occur in the labor atory and in nature . The main difference between these two types of re actions is the amount of heat that is produced or absor bed during the reaction . \n \n An ex oth erm ic reaction is a chemical reaction that releases heat energy into the surr ound ings . This means that the reaction produces a net increase in the total energy of the system . Ex amples of ex oth erm ic re actions include the comb ust ion of gas oline , the reaction between sod ium and water , and the reaction between am mon ia and hydro gen ch lor ide . \n \n On the other hand , an end oth erm ic reaction is a chemical reaction that absor bs heat energy from the surr ound ings . This means that the reaction produces a net decrease in the total energy of the system . Ex amples of end oth erm ic re actions include the reaction between hydro gen gas and ch lor ine gas to form hydro gen ch lor ide and hydro gen gas , and the reaction between sod ium hydro x ide and hydro ch lor ic acid to form sod ium ch lor ide , water , and hydro gen gas . \n \n To distinguish between ex oth erm ic and end oth erm ic re actions , we can use the following criteria : \n \n 1 . He at evolution : An ex oth erm ic reaction releases heat energy into the surr ound ings , while an end oth erm ic reaction absor bs heat energy from the surr ound ings . \n 2 . Energy change : An ex oth erm ic reaction produces a net increase in the total energy of the system , while an end oth erm ic reaction produces a net decrease in the total energy of the system . \n \n A real - world example of an ex oth erm ic reaction is the comb ust ion of gas oline . When gas oline is burn ed in a car engine , it releases a large amount of heat energy , which is used to power the engine and provide prop ulsion to the vehicle . The heat energy is released as a result of the ex oth erm ic reaction between the gas oline and the o xygen in the air . \n \n On the other hand , a real - world example of an end oth erm ic reaction is the reaction between hydro gen gas and ch lor ine gas to form hydro gen ch lor ide and hydro gen gas . In this reaction , hydro gen gas is absor bed by ch lor ine gas , re le asing heat energy in the process . This heat energy is absor bed by the surr ound ings , resulting in a net decrease in the total energy of the system . </s>