Biothermodynami

s Problem Set 1

⋆Look at the various derived relationships/equations in the notes and be sure⋆

⋆you an derive them yourself! You are essentially guaranteed to be asked for⋆
⋆at least one derivation, so make sure you are prepared! ⋆
1. Nitrogen tetroxide is partially disso iated in the gas phase a ording to
the rea tion:
N2 O4 (g) ⇋ 2N O2 (g)
A mass of 3.402 g of N2 O4 is pla ed in a 500 cm3 glass vessel at 150 K
and disso iates to an equilibrium mixture at 1.532 bar.
a) What are the mole fra tions of N2 O4 and N O2 ?
b) What per entage of the N2 O4 has disso iated? Assume the gases
are ideal.
2. Assuming that air is 21% O2 , 78% N2 , and 1% Ar (argon) at sea level
and that the pressure is 1.01325 bars, what is the molar omposition and
total pressure at a height of 7 km, if the atmosphere has a temperature
of 25◦ C independent of altitude?
3. A mole of air (80% N2 and 20% O2 by volume) at 298.15K is brought
into onta t with liquid water, whi h has a vapor pressure of 3168 Pa at
this temperature.
a) What is the volume of the dry air if the pressure is 1 bar?
b) What is the nal volume of the air saturated with water vapor if
the total pressure is maintained at 1 bar?
) What are the mole fra tions of N2 , O2 , and H2 O in the moist air?
Assume gases are ideal.
4. A 7.24-g sample of ethane o upies 4.65 L at 294 K.
a) Cal ulate the work done when the gas expands isothermally against
a onstant external pressure of 0.500 atm until its volume is 6.87 L.
b) Cal ulate the work done if the same expansion o urs reversibly.

1
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5. An ideal gas is ompressed isothermally by a for e of 85 newtons a ting

through 0.24 meter. Cal ulate the values of ΔU and q. Note that a Joule
is the same as a newton · meter.
6. In a reversible pro ess, 1.0 mol of an ideal gas has a state hange from
T1 and P1 to T2 and P2 . If we know that T2 > T1 and P2 > P1 and
the heat apa ity is Cp , al ulate ∆H for this pro ess and indi ate the
path you sele ted for the pro ess by drawing a diagram on a graph of
temperature vs pressure.
7. The In redible Hulk de ides that he is going to ompress the sun in order
to reate a bla k hole. In order for the sun to be ome a bla k hole,
it has to be ompressed to its S hwarzs hild radius of 3.0 km, giving a
volume of 1.13097 × 1011 m3 . Find the amount of pressure the gaseous
sun would exert at the S hwarzs hild radius to approximate how mu h
pressure IN ATMOSPHERES the Hulk would have to over ome. Assume
the following:
a) The omposition of the sun is 75% H2 and 25% He by mass
b) The mass of the sun is 1.98855 × 1030 kg
) The temperature of the sun is 1.57 × 107 K
d) R=8.314 m
3
·P a
mol·K
e) 1 atm = 101325 Pa
f) The sun an be approximated by an ideal gas (Yeah, I know it is a
plasma. Work with me here.)
8. A 1.00-mole sample of ammonia at 14.0 atm and 25°C in a ylinder tted
with a movable piston expands against a onstant external pressure of
1.00 atm. At equilibrium, the pressure and volume of the gas are 1.00 atm
and 23.5 L, respe tively. Helpful hints: PAY ATTENTION TO WHICH
GAS CONSTANT YOU ARE USING. Also, 0.08206 mol·K L·atm
; 1 L · atm =
J ¯
101.3J ; 8.314 K·mol ; Cp = 35.66 K ; Cv = Cp − nR. ∆U = Cv ∆T . Note,
J

this problem is a little more di ult and involved.

a) Cal ulate the nal temperature of the sample.
b) Cal ulate the values of q, w, and ΔU for the pro ess.
 Answers:

1. a) χN2 O4 = 0.7967; χN O2 = 0.2033. b) 66.22% disso iated.

2. Ptotal = 0.4554 bar; χO2 = 0.1927; χN2 = 0.7997; χAr = 0.0076
3. a) 24.7897 L b)25.5750 L )χH2 O = 0.0307; χO2 = 0.1939; χN2 = 0.7754
4. a) −112.443 J b) −229.6967 J
5. ∆U = 0; q = −20.4J
6. ∆H = ∆H1 + ∆H2 = Cp (T2 − T1 )
7. 2.26011 × 1024 atm
8. a) 286 K b) q = 1.87 × 103 J ; w = −2.20 × 103 J ; ∆U = −3.3 × 102 J