What is a common characteristic of an endothermic reaction?

In an endothermic reaction, the key characteristic is that it absorbs heat from its surroundings. This means that instead of releasing energy, as occurs in exothermic reactions, an endothermic process requires energy input, typically in the form of heat. As a result, the system takes in heat, leading to a decrease in the temperature of the surroundings, which can be felt during the reaction.

Additionally, the products formed in an endothermic reaction generally have higher energy than the reactants because energy has been absorbed to drive the reaction forward. This contrasts with reactions that release heat, which leads to lower energy products. Understanding this principle is essential when studying the energy changes in chemical reactions and thermodynamics.