SIC1005 Basic Mathematics for Chemistry

Tutorial: Functions
1. The virial equation of a gas can be approximated at low pressure as
m = (1 +

where is the pressure, m is the molar volume, is the temperature, is

the gas constant, and is the virial coefficient. Express as an explicit
function of the other variables.

( = [ m 1])
2. Kohlrauschs law for the molar conductivity, m of a strong electrolyte at
low concentration, is
m = om
where om is the molar conductivity at infinite dilution and is a constant.
Express c as an explicit function of m .
om m 2
( = [
] )

3. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm

=

1 +

gives the fractional coverage of a surface by adsorbed gas at pressure ,

where is a constant. Express in terms of .

( = (1))
4. The acidity constant, a of a weak acid at concentration is
a =

2
1

where is the degree of ionization. Express in term of a and

(remember the , a and are positive quantities).
( =

a
2

[1 + 1])
a

5. Ammonia is synthesized by
N2 + 3H2 2NH3
Initially 1 bar of N2 and 3 bar or H2 are mixed with no NH3 present and
they become equilibrium at a given temperature. If bar of N2 is lost due
to the reaction, the equilibrium constant,

SIC1005 Basic Mathematics for Chemistry

Tutorial: Functions
2

(2)2
=
3 = (1 )(3 3)3 = 977
N2 (H2 )
(NH3 )

Calculate the partial pressures of all the reactants and products.

N2 = 0.1409 bar
(NH3 = 1.7902 bar)
H2 = 0.3147 bar
6. The Bragg equation for the reflection of radiation of wavelength from the
planes of a crystal is
= 2 sin
where is the separation of the planes, is the angle of incidence of the
radiation, and is an integer. Calculate the angles at which X-rays of
wavelength 1.5 1010 m are reflected by planes separated by 3.0
1010 m.
= 1, 14.48
= 2, = 30
(
)
= 3, 48.59
= 4, = 90
7. Find the polar coordinates of the points whose cartesian coordinates are
(a) (3, 2)
( = 13, 33.7)
(b) (3, 2)
(13, 326.3)
(c) (3,2)
(13, 146.3)
(d) (3, 2)
(13, 213.7)
8. For a system composed
oltzmann distribution

of

identical

molecules,

the

gives the average fraction of molecules in the molecular state with

energy .

SIC1005 Basic Mathematics for Chemistry

Tutorial: Functions

(a) Show that the ratio of the populations of states and depends

only on the difference in energy of the two states.

( )

( = = )

(b) What is the ratio for two states with the same energy (degenerate
states)

( = 1)

9. The barometric formula

= 0

gives the pressure of a gas of molar mass at altitude , when 0 is the

pressure at sea level. Express in terms of the other variables.

( =
ln )
0
10. The chemical potential of a gas at pressure and temperature is
= + ln

where = is the fugacity and is the fugacity coefficient. Express as

an explicit function of the other variables.

( =
exp [
])

11. In a first-order decomposition reaction,

A products
the amount of substance A at time is
() = (0)
where (0) is the initial amount of A, and is the rate constant. The time
taken for the amount of A to fall to half of its initial value is called the halflife, 1 , of the reaction. Find the half-life for rate constants:
2

(a) = 3 s 1
(1 0.2310 s)
2

(b) = 105 s 1

(1 0.6931 105 s)
2