Which statement about energy transfer is accurate?

• A. Energy is created during a reaction.
• B. Energy can be transferred as heat to or from the surroundings.
• C. Energy transfer only occurs in exothermic reactions.
• D. Energy transfer does not happen in chemical reactions.

Answer: (B)

Energy transfer in chemical reactions involves heat moving between the reacting system and its surroundings. Energy isn’t created or destroyed—it's conserved and can change form. If a reaction gives off heat, it is exothermic and the surroundings warm up; if it absorbs heat, it is endothermic and the surroundings cool down. So energy can be transferred as heat to or from the surroundings in many reactions.

This makes the statement about heat transfer the best fit because it captures that energy exchange with the environment happens in chemical changes. The idea that energy is created contradicts conservation of energy, the notion that transfer only happens in exothermic reactions ignores endothermic processes, and the claim that energy transfer doesn’t happen in reactions is simply false.