Chemistry 6C; Midterm Examination I; April 20, 2011

Total points 100 (5pts x 20) (Maximum 20% of the final grade)

Name:

Student ID:

Section ID:

Relevant Formulas:

Ecell = E°cell − RT ln Q
nF

Ecell = E°cell − 0.05916 V log Q (at 298.15 K)

n
∆G = −nFEcell

∆G0= −RT ln K

∆G = H − TS

∆G = ∆G0 + RT ln Q

S = kB ln W

Ssys =qrev/T

Ssur =∆Hsys/T

Useful constants:

F = 96500 C/mol e−

NA = 6.02 x 1023 units/mol

kB = 1.38 x 1023 J/K

R = 8.314 J/mol•K

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1. Which substance below should have the highest entropy at 298K?

a. 5H2O(g)
b. 7NH3(l)
c. 4H2SO4(g)
d. 5H2(g)

2. For the reaction 2C(s) + H2(g)  C2H4(g), H = 52.3KJ/mol and S = -53.07J/(K*mol).

The reaction will be spontaneous at:

a. All temperatures
b. Temperatures above 985K
c. No temperatures
d. Temperatures below 985K

3. The entropy of a pure, perfect crystal is zero at 0 K. How many accessible

microstates are there in such a system?

a. Zero
b. One
c. It depends on the size of the crystal
d. There is no connection between the number of microstates and the entropy

4. If the G of a reaction is negative, then

a. The forward reaction is spontaneous.

b. The reaction is in equilibrium.
c. The reverse reaction is spontaneous.
d. Concentrations of the products and reactants are identical.

5. Consider a reaction that is spontaneous under standard conditions. The Gibbs free
energy is lowest for such a reaction (choose one of the following).

a. When the reaction has reached equilibrium

b. Under nonstandard conditions when Q < 1 (preferred)
c. Under standard conditions, as long as K < 1
d. When 1 < Q << K (also accepted)

6. A reaction is non-spontaneous at room temperature but is spontaneous at

-50°C. What can you say about the signs of ΔH, and ΔS?

a. ΔH is (-), ΔS is (-)
b. ΔH is (-), ΔS is (+)
c. ΔH is (+), ΔS is (-)
d. ΔH is (+), ΔS is (+)
7. A beaker with water is placed in a room whose temperature is -4°C. Water freezes to
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ice after some time. In this freezing process, the entropy of the system (S sys) ----------

a. increases.
b. decreases.
c. remains the same.
d. increases initially and then decreases.

8. The standard free energy of formation of CS2(l) is 65.27KJ/mol at 298K, this means
that at 298K:

a. CS2(l) is thermodynamically unstable

b. CS2(l) is thermodynamically stable
c. CS2(l) has positive enthalpy
d. CS2(l) has negative entropy

9. What is the third law of thermodynamics?

a. The change in entropy of the universe is greater than zero.

b. Entropy is zero at absolute zero.
c. The change in entropy of a perfect crystal is zero at absolute zero.
d. The entropy of a pure, perfect crystal is zero at absolute zero.
e. The entropy of a pure, perfect crystal is zero at 0 °C.

10. Which substance is the reducing agent in the reaction below?

Pb + PbO2 + 2H2SO4  2PbSO4 + 2H2O
a. Pb
b. H2SO4
c. PbO2
d. PbSO4
e. H2O

11. Gaseous N2O4 dissociates as follows:

N2O4(g)  2NO2(g)
At 350 K, K = 3.8. Sampling the system at a particular point shows that the
reaction quotient, Q = 0.95. Which of the following statements is correct?

a. At the sampling point, the system has reached equilibrium.

b. After the sampling point, no more NO2 will form.
c. After the sampling point, the system will move to the left-hand side.
d. After the sampling point, the system will continue to move to the right-hand
side until equilibrium is reached.

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12. All potentials in tables of standard reduction potentials are measured with respect to
the standard hydrogen electrode, which is considered to have a potential of:

a. +1.76 V.
b. +1.00 V.
c. -1.00 V.
d. 0.00 V.

13. Which transformation could take place at the cathode of an electrochemical cell?

a. MnO2 MnO4-
b. Br2  BrO3-
c. NO HNO2
d. HSO4-  H2SO3
e. Mn2+  MnO4-

14. The half-reaction occurring at the anode in the balanced reaction shown below is
__________.
MnO4-(aq) + 24H+(aq) +5Fe(s)  3Mn2+(aq) + 5Fe3+(aq) + 12H2O(l)

A) MnO4-(aq) + 8H+(aq) + 5e-  Mn2+(aq) + 4H2O(l)

B) 2MnO4-(aq) + 12H+(aq) + 6e-  2Mn2+(aq) + 3H2O(l)
C) Fe(s) Fe3+(aq) + 3e-
D) Fe(s) Fe2+(aq) + 2e-
E) Fe(s) Fe+(aq) + e-

15. A voltaic cell:

a. Has a spontaneous chemical reaction.

b. Has a positive cell potential.
c. Has a negatively charge anode.
d. All of the above.
e. None of the above.

16. Consider an electrochemical cell based on the reaction:

2H+(aq)+ Sn(s)  Sn2+(aq) + H2(g); Which of the following actions would change
the measured cell potential?

a. increasing the pH in the cathode compartment

b. lowering the pH in the cathode compartment
c. increasing the [Sn2+] in the anode compartment
d. increasing the pressure of hydrogen gas in the cathode compartment
e. Any of the above will change the measure cell potential.

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17. A voltaic cell is constructed with two silver-silver chloride electrodes, where the half-
reaction is
AgCl(s) + e-  Ag(s) + Cl-(aq) E° = +0.222 V
The concentrations of chloride ion in the two compartments are 0.0222 M and
2.22 M, respectively. The cell EMF is __________ V.

a. 0.212
b. 0.118
c. 0.00222
d. 22.2
e. 0.232

18. Which of the metals Zn, Cu and Ag can protect a sample of iron from corrosion?
(standard reduction potential: Ag > Cu > Fe > Zn)

a. all of them
b. none of them
c. only Zn
d. only Cu
e. both Ag and Cu

19. Which element is reduced in the reaction below?

I- + MnO4- + H+  I2 + MnO2 + H2O
A) I
B) Mn
C) O
D) H

20. In voltaic cells, such as those diagrammed in your text, the salt bridge _______ .
a. is not necessary in order for the cell to work
b. acts as a mechanism to allow mechanical mixing of the solutions
c. allows charge balance to be maintained in the cell
d. is tightly plugged with firm agar gel through which ions cannot pass
e. drives free electrons from one half-cell to the other