If you were to touch a flask in which an exothermic reaction is occurring, what would you most likely feel?

• A. The flask would feel cooler than before.
• B. The flask would feel wet due to condensation.
• C. The flask would feel warmer than before.
• D. The flask would feel unchanged in temperature.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the nature of an exothermic reaction: it releases heat to its surroundings during the reaction process.
2. Recognize that when heat is released inside the flask, this heat transfers to the flask walls and then to your hand if you touch it.
3. Since heat is flowing from the flask to your hand, the flask's surface temperature increases compared to before the reaction started.
4. Therefore, when you touch the flask, you would feel an increase in temperature, meaning the flask would feel warmer than before.
5. Note that feeling cooler or unchanged temperature would imply no heat release or absorption, which contradicts the definition of an exothermic reaction.