Unanswered Questions
712 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
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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 ...
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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....
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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 ...
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Why is supersaturated sodium acetate so (meta)stable?
Sodium acetate is a common example used in general chemistry lectures to illustrate the idea of supersaturation, and that precipitation of a supersaturated solution can be initiated by a seed crystal. ...
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Why is there preferential adsorption of a common ion during preparation of colloids by peptization?
There was a similar question asked here on Chem SE, but the answer was not very satisfactory to me, so I am asking a fresh question.
Peptization is the process of creating a colloid from a precipitate ...
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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 ...
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1
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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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143
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Seeking titanium compound, melting point <1600 °C, decomposes to TiO
The title says it all. I’m new to glass making, and I need a titanium compound that will render me $\ce{TiO}$ through decomposition, and has a melting point under 1600 °C. Hopefully I can get one ...
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How can I compute the temperature change from the de-excitation of excited particle species?
The motivation for the question in the title is that I have some formula given,
$$\Delta T=\frac{3410\ \gamma_{O_2}}{2.5+\gamma_{O_2}},$$
where $\gamma_{O_2}$ is the molar fraction of oxygen in a ...
- 1,012
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Dependence of elasticity on temperature and degree of vulcanization of typical commercial rubber band
I am doing a school experiment that tries to find how the elasticity of rubber band depends on temperature.
From all the research I have done, theory suggests stress to increase linearly with ...
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437
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Is the formation of nitrogen dioxide spontaneous?
I was studying Thermodynamics from my Chemistry textbook (page 181-182, section 6.6 (a)).
I have a question regarding the following text from my book.
Now let us examine the following reactions:
$$\...
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111
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Is a change in delta-delta-G typically notated as delta-delta-delta-G?
I'm currently writing a research paper, and need to refer to a difference between $\Delta{\Delta}G$s. The naive way to notate this would be $\Delta{\Delta}{\Delta}G$, but that looks cumbersome and ...
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Thermodynamics of micellisation
Micellisation is found to be spontaneous i.e. $\Delta G < 0.$ It's found that $\Delta S > 0,$ which was intuitive since, solvated molecules are released. And, it may be most loosely started that ...
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Is there an adhesive that is not dissolved by acetone?
I am trying to glue glass sheets together to make a sealed 13" x 13" x 13" box. Inside this box there would be acetone gas used to melt 3D printed parts to make them more durable. Acetone will remove ...
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Reconciling Flory-Huggins Theory with Le Chatelier's Principle
(I discuss the Flory-Huggins parameter as chi from here onward). So I had learned in class that when discussing polymers the Flory-Huggins Theory helps us figure out whether mixing is ...
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432
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Compounds that Liberate Hydrogen from Water, Reversibly
I'm working on a paper which provides an overview of all the current methods for storing hydrogen gas as part of a renewable energy system, and I understand compressed gas and metal hydride storage ...
- 165
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113
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Describing evaporation without entropy -- what about Helmholtz?
I have in mind a rigid, impervious, heat-insulating vessel containing a monatomic liquid and vacuum. The vessel has an insulating forcefield inside, exactly at the surface of the liquid. It can be ...
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Entropy Change of Resistor
A very large swimming pool filled with water of temperature equal to $20\ \mathrm{^\circ C}$ is heated
by a resistor with a heating power of $500\ \mathrm{W}$ for $20$ minutes. Assuming the water in ...
- 1,169
5
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553
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What does the equilibrium constant mean for reactions with very small concentrations?
When you calculate the equilibrium constant for a reaction with a higher concentration of reactants, the answer is fairly intuitive. For example, for the reaction:
$$\ce{A + B <=> C}$$
when we ...
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4
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142
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Solubility or reactivity of tantalum carbide and potassium polyselenides?
It is probably an unexplored system, but is there anything known about the low temperature thermodynamic equilibrium state of this?
By 'tantalum carbide', I mean $\ce{TaC}$, and by potassium ...
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With two reagents common on Mars, fluorite and CO2, how would I produce carbon tetrafluoride?
The hypothetical terraforming of Mars would require the heating of the atmosphere. A commonly suggested method is the in-situ production of fluorocarbons, powerful greenhouse gases.
For example, ...
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How to estimate the mobility constant and the surface energy parameter in the Cahn-Hilliard equation?
As a mathematician, I want to simulate phase separations with the Cahn-Hilliard equation
$$
\frac{\partial c}{\partial t} = M \Delta \bigg(\frac{\partial \mu}{\partial c} - \kappa \Delta c \bigg),
$$
...
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445
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Why is the relationship between molar mass and boiling point for alkanes a square root relationship?
I plotted the boiling point of alkanes against their molar mass and found the following trend:
I expected the trend would be linear, since (based on my understanding of what I've learned in class so ...
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4
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1
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366
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Variation of conductance of saturated aqueous solution with temperature
The following question was asked in JEE Mains 2020:
Let $C_{\ce{NaCl}}$ and $C_{\ce{BaSO4}}$ be the conductances (in S) measured for saturated aqueous solutions of $\ce{NaCl}$ and $\ce{BaSO4}$, ...
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Why is there a large increase in volume when an alkali metal is dissolved in liquid ammonia?
My teacher said unexplainedly that when alkali metals dissolves in liquid ammonia, there is a large increase in the volume. I found a paper that confirms this fact [1]:
In the course of recent ...
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237
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What is the Gibbs free energy change of physisorption?
In most sites I find online, I see that the Gibbs free energy of adsorption is negative. But, it is also said that physisorption is a reversible adsorption, suggesting that $\delta G=0$ which ...
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2
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Entropy change during electrolysis of water
Consider the electrolysis of water reaction:
$$\ce{H_2O -> H_2 + 1/2O_2}$$
At room temperature and atmospheric pressure, the change in enthalpy of this reaction is $\Delta H = \pu{+286 kJ mol-1}$. ...
- 6,801
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84
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Regarding Ellingham diagrams
In my textbook, the following information is given about Ellingham diagram:
The interpretation of $\ce{\Delta_rG^\circ}$ is based on ${K}$ ($\ce{\Delta G^\circ = -RTlnK}$). Thus it is presumed that ...
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How much energy is required to operate a Sabatier reactor?
I am trying to model some industrial processes and having a hard time finding information about the Sabatier reaction. The Sabatier reaction combines $\ce{CO2}$ (and possibly $\ce{CO}$) with $\ce{H2}$ ...
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Is entropy maximum in equilibrium?
Usually, in the context of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, it is said that entropy achieves a maximum in equilibrium, so the Taylor series expansion of entropy around the equilibrium state as a ...
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Why does the heat of formation of organic radicals and positive ions decrease with their size and degree of branching at the radical or ionic site?
I am currently studying the textbook Mass Spectrometry, third edition, by Jürgen H. Gross. Chapter 2.4.3 Bond Dissociation Energies and Heats of Formation says the following:
The heat of formation ...
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Curtin-Hammett principle to evaluate alkene insertion
Given an unsymmetrical alkene in a simple non-stereoselective catalytic hydrogenation reaction. If one would want to investigate the nuances in the catalytic cycle of a dihydride complex leading to ...
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Has a concept of temperature ever been defined in the context of a single atom?
I wonder if this answer to What would happen if we supercool and then superheat an atom very abruptly? goes far enough.
I almost wrote the comment:
I don't think we can even talk about the ...
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562
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Whether the entropy change of the system is positive or negative
$$\ce{N2(g) + O2(g) → 2NO(g)}$$
My thinking: since gases are combined together, so there randomness or disorder gets decreased. Hence the sign of entropy change of the system should be negative.
...
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1
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Calculating ΔH from bomb calorimetry
Suppose we carry out a reaction in a bomb calorimeter whose starting temperature is $298.15\ \mathrm K$. Here we assume $\Delta V$ is close enough to zero that we consider the process to be at ...
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Extrapolating from a calorimetry lab to find a new delta T with different volumes and grams of substance
So, we just finished an AP chem lab where the question was basically:
Given the results of the lab were that $\pu{5 grams}$ of $\ce{CaCl2}$ and $\pu{45ml}$ of water produced a $\pu{13.33 ^\circ C}$ ...
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If dG is a state function, why do reversible and irreversible paths differ?
For a reversible process at constant T,P in a closed system with no non-expansion work dG = 0. For an irreversible process under the same conditions, dG < 0. Since dG is a state function I would ...
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Can a droplet of formalin evaporate in midair while falling?
I am designing an evaporator for use in an enclosed environment. Due to the hazardous nature of formaldehyde, I want my evaporator to be wick-free.
The environment in which the evaporator will be used ...
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Can anyone explain this condensation pattern?
What is the hair-like polymer that condenses on the caps of the plastic cell vial? Inside vial are cells in a mixture of FBS and DMSO. The vials were frozen slowly in a special isopropanol-filled ...
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Theoretical temperature change in lime hydration
Calcium oxide (quicklime) and water have an exothermic reaction
$\ce{CaO + H2O \rightarrow Ca(OH)_2} \quad \quad \Delta H^{\circ}_f=-65.3 \; \mathrm{kJ \cdot mol^{-1}}$
Assume that I have 1 kg of ...
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691
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Theory of volume contraction in solution
When a solid is dissolved into a liquid, or two solids are amalgamated, their mutual volume will contract. For example, a crystal of sugar having a volume of one cubic inch dissolved into 10 cubic ...
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Glycine nucleation simulations
I am trying to run nucleation simulations of glycine in water. To generate a supersaturated solution, a solution that will crystallize, I need to know the solubility. Luckily for me, this data exists. ...
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Debye-Huckel theory with non-polar solvents
I want to calculate the activity coefficients of mixed solvent salt solutions. I am seeing very strange behavior when I try calculating the activity coefficient of salts in non-polar solvents using ...
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Ratio of MbO2/Mb in a satured solution of dissolved oxygen from dry air
What is the ratio of $\ce{MbO2/Mb}$ if the solution is saturated with air?
Details of the question:
$$
\begin{align}
\ce{Mb + O2 (aq) &-> MbO2}\\
\Delta G' &= -30.3~\mathrm{kJ/mol}\...
- 9,881
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Synthesizing monodisperse PbS quantum dots
For a research project, I am trying to synthesize lead (II) sulfide quantum dots using the method of Li et al.. I am injecting sulfur dissolved in 1-octadecene into a mixture of $\ce{PbO}$, oleic ...
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How do xanthan gum and other hydrocolloids work?
Does anyone know what causes things like xanthan gum to make water into a slimy substance on the molecular level?
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In the nonideal solution, why can't one of the solute be positive deviation and the other be negative deviation?
In the nonideal solution, why can't one of the solute be positive deviation and the other be negative deviation?
Let's say A and B makes a nonideal solution.
The moleculat force between A and B means ...
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Is double excitation of nitrogen possible, and would it be able to use it as a central atom in a coordination complex?
I’m 17 and in my 2nd year of high-school (we have it a tad different here in the Czech Republic) and am interested in theoretical chemistry so that’s the explanation of the nature of my question.
So, ...
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