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Unanswered Questions

1,194 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
10 votes
1 answer
328 views

Why are IUPAC's definitions of exo- and endothermic disconnected from the direction of heat flow?

I'm wondering if anyone can provide a rationale for IUPAC's definitions of exothermic and endothermic since they disconnect these terms from the direction of heat flow. Specifically, here are IUPAC's ...
8 votes
0 answers
392 views

What exactly is an "electron-sponge"?

What exactly an "electron-sponge" [behavior/action/property/system] nickname is, and what makes a material an "electron-sponge" (preferably, quantitatively)? From what I found, it's typically a ...
8 votes
0 answers
102 views

Removal of nickel plating on MgB2 without damaging the boride?

I need to remove a nickel plating of a MgB2 wire without causing damage to the MgB2. I felt that electrolysis is the best method but I do not know what electrolyte to use for this. I also need to coat ...
7 votes
0 answers
178 views

Mathematical models of oscillatory chemical reactions

I am a mathematician working on real-life models in ordinary differential equations. I want to know if there are any models of oscillatory chemical reactions that consist of three ordinary ...
7 votes
0 answers
183 views

Why does entropy increase in reactions that make more molecules?

I used to understand this (more molecules ⇒ more degrees of freedom), but do no longer, because the total number of atoms is conserved, so translational d.o.f. should just be turned into internal d.o....
7 votes
0 answers
516 views

Does phosphoric acid remove stainless steel electropolished layer?

Electropolished stainless steel has a high corrosion resistance due to the oxide film that is created during electropolishing. The film mainly consist of chromium(III) oxide. Phosphoric acid is ...
6 votes
0 answers
82 views

Do "pseudo Van der Waals" gases exist?

In college, when deriving the Langmuir isotherm for gas-solid adsorption, the professor proposed a modified version of the Van der Waals state equation, what he called the "pseudo Van der Waals ...
6 votes
0 answers
135 views

Correct Definition of Absolute Electrode Potential

I thought absolute electrode potential is Galvani potential difference at the interface. However, it is given by following equation in John Bockris - Modern Electrochemistry (Ref.1): $$ E^M \mathrm{(...
6 votes
0 answers
206 views

Why is the reverse aldol cleavage of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate highly endergonic under standard conditions?

I have another question similar to this one. I just don't have intuition for why reactions are thermodynamically favorable or unfavorable and I'd like to build it. This time I'd like to ask about ...
6 votes
0 answers
216 views

Approximating entropy change in a reaction using Arrhenius equation

Recently my teacher finished teaching the chapter Chemical kinetics in which I have gone through Arrhenius equation.Can we estimate the change in entropy using it? I have done my calculation, ...
6 votes
1 answer
197 views

Understanding elementary rate laws from a probability stand point

I am learning about chemical kinetics and dynamics and as I understand for a general chemical reaction $$\ce{aA + bB -> cC + dD} $$ whose reaction rate, r, can be described by an elementary rate ...
6 votes
0 answers
919 views

Reaction rate constants for methane combustion

I can't find a rate constant or activation energy for the methane combustion reaction given by: $$\ce{ CH4 + 2O2 -> CO2 + 2H2O}$$ Do all reactions have a rate constant? The NIST web site lists ...
6 votes
0 answers
614 views

Thermophysical properties of liquid Galden LS 230 between 25 °C and 230 °C

I'm looking for thermophysical properties of Galden LS 230, a liquid polymer (PFPE) produced by Solvay (https://www.solvay.com/en/markets-and-products/featured-products/Galden.html) at temperatures ...
6 votes
0 answers
2k views

Finding theoretical mechanism of sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid

In class we conducted an experiment where we timed reactions between sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid. We kept the concentration of the $\ce{HCl}$ constant, while changing the concentrations ...
6 votes
0 answers
207 views

I found transition states (TS), but calculations aren't supported by experiment. Do I look for more TSs or somewhere else?

I'm using Gaussian to investigate a catalyst system. Experimental evidence showed that one of three analogues (R = phenyl, Ph), yielded a benzosultam when treated with 2,4,6-...

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