An exothermic process involves which heat flow?

• A. Heat is released to the surroundings
• B. Heat is absorbed from the surroundings
• C. Temperature remains constant
• D. Energy is unchanged

Answer: (A)

In an exothermic process, heat flows out of the system into the surroundings. This means energy is released as heat, which can cause the surrounding area to warm up. The defining idea is the direction of heat transfer: from the system to the surroundings.

That’s why releasing heat to the surroundings is the correct description. If heat were absorbed from the surroundings, that would be an endothermic process. Saying the temperature remains constant isn’t a reliable marker for exothermic behavior, and energy changing or not is about the direction of energy transfer; in an exothermic process, the system loses energy as heat, not remains unchanged.