Recently, self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS), related to metallic and ceramic powder interactions, has attracted huge interest from more and more researchers, because it can provide an attractive, energy-efficient approach to the synthesis of simple and complex materials. The adiabatic temperature $T_{ad}$ and apparent activation energy analysis of different thermit systems plays an important role in thermodynamic studies on combustion synthesis. After establishing and verifying a mathematic calculation program for predicting adiabatic temperatures, based on the thermodynamic theory of combustion synthesis systems, the adiabatic temperatures of the NiO/Al aluminothermic system during self-propagating high-temperature synthesis were investigated. The effect of a diluting agent additive fraction on combustion velocity was studied. According to the simulation and experimental results, the apparent activation energy was estimated using the Arrhenius diagram of $ln(v/T_{ad}){sim}/T_{ad}$ based on the combustion equation given by Merzhanov et al. When the temperature exceeds the boiling point of aluminum (2,790 K), the apparent activation energy of the NiO/Al aluminothermic system is $64{pm}14$ kJ/mol. In contrast, below 2,790 K, the apparent activation energy is $189{pm}15$ kJ/mol. The process of combustion contributed to the mass-transference of aluminum reactant of the burning compacts. The reliability of the simulation results was experimentally verified.