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Third Hour Exam 5.111

Write your name below. This is a closed book exam. Solve all 6 problems. Read all problems
thoroughly and read all parts of a problem. Many of the latter parts of a problem can be solved without
having solved earlier parts. Show all work to receive full credit. Physical constants, formulas,
standard reduction potentials, and a periodic table are given on the last two pages of the exam. You
may detach the last 2 pages after the exam has started.

1. THERMODYNAMICS (12 points)___________

2. CHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM (12 points)___________

3. ACID-BASE EQUILIBRIUM (12 points)___________

4. ACID-BASE TITRATION (22 points)______________

5. OXIDATION/REDUCTION (30 points)_____________

6. OXIDATION/REDUCTION (12 points)_____________

Total (100 points)_____________

Name____ANSWER KEY__________________
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1. THERMODYNAMICS (14 points total)
Consider the formation of MgO (s). Assume that ΔH r° and ΔSr° are independent of temperature.
Mg (s) + 1/2 O2 (g) → MgO (s) ΔH r° = -602 kJ/mol
ΔSr° = -108 JK-1mol-1.

(a) (6 points) Calculate ΔG r° for the formation of MgO (s) at 0 °C (273 K). Is the reaction spontaneous
or non-spontaneous at 0 °C?

ΔG = ΔH - TΔS
ΔG = -602 kJ/mol - 273(-0.108 kJmol-1K-1)

+ 29.48

ΔG = -572.52

- 573 kJ/mol spontaneous

(b) (6 points) Is there a temperature at which the formation of MgO switches from spontaneous to non-
spontaneous or vice versa? If no, explain briefly why not. If yes, calculate the temperature (T*) at
which the spontaneity of the reaction switches.

Yes.

0 = ΔH – T*ΔS
T* = ΔH / ΔS T* = -602 kJ/mol
- 0.108 kJ/mol•K
T* = 5574 K

T* = 5570 K
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2. CHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM (12 points total)

Explain the effect of each of the following stresses on the position of the following equilibrium:

3 NO (g) N2O (g) + NO2 (g)

The reaction as written is exothermic.

(a) (4 points) The equilibrium mixture is cooled. Explain your answer.

shift toward products

Heat is produced in the forward direction. As heat is removed, the reaction will shift to
produce more heat.

(b) (4 points) The volume of the equilibrium mixture is reduced at constant temperature. Explain your
answer.

shift toward products

If volume decreases, then the total pressure (and each partial pressure) increases.

3 mol of g to 2 mol of g
reaction shifts to 2 mol of gas.

(c) (4 points) Gaseous argon (which does not react) is added to the equilibrium mixture while both the
total gas pressure and the temperature are kept constant. Explain your answer.

shift toward reactants

If total pressure is the same, volume must have increased. If volume increased, the partial
pressure of each gas decreased, so shift to side with more mol of gas to compensate

3 mol g ← 2 mol g
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3. ACID-BASE EQUILIBRIUM (12 points total)
(a) (6 points) Calculate the pH in a solution prepared by dissolving 0.050 mol of acetic acid
(CH3COOH) and 0.20 mol of sodium acetate (NaCH3COO) in water and adjusting the volume to 500.
mL. The pKa for acetic acid (CH3COOH) is 4.75.

buffer problem
[HA]
pH ≅ pKa – log [A-]

pH ≅ 4.75 – log 0.050 mol ok to use mol b/c volume is the same
0.20 mol

pH ≅ 4.75 – log 0.25

+ 0.602

pH = 4.75 + 0.602

pH ≅ 5.35

(b) (6 points) Suppose 0.010 mol of NaOH is added to the buffer from part (a). Calculate the pH of the
solution that results.

mol of HA = 0.050 mol – 0.010 mol = 0.040 mol

mol of A- = 0.20 mol + 0.010 mol = 0.21 mol

[HA]
pH ≅ pKa – log [A-]

pH ≅ 4.75 – log 0.040 mol ok to use mol b/c volume is the same
0.21 mol

pH = 4.75 – log 0.19

+ 0.721

pH = 4.75 + 0.721

pH = 5.47
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4. ACID-BASE TITRATION (22 points total)

A 10.0 mL sample of 0.20 M HNO2 (aq) solution is titrated with 0.10 M NaOH (aq).
(Ka of HNO2 is 4.3 x 10-4).
(a) (5 points) Calculate the volume of NaOH needed to reach the equivalence point.
0.0100 L x 0.20 mol = 0.0020 mol of NaOH needed
L
0.0020 mol NaOH x L = 0.020 L or 20. mL
0.10 mol

(b) (12 points) Calculate the pH at the equivalence point. Check assumptions for full credit.

This is a weak base problem. All of the HNO2 is converted to NO2-.

initial mol of NO2- = 0.0020 mol = 0.0667 M

0.030 L

NO2- + H2O ' HNO2 + -

OH

I 0.0667 0 0

C -x +x +x

E 0.0667 – x +x +x

Kw = KaKb Kb = 1.00 x 10-14 = 0.233 x 10-10 or 2.33 x 10-11

4.3 x 10-4

Check assumption:
Kb = x 2
≈ x2
= 2.33 x 10 -11

1.247 x 10-6 x 100 %

0.0667 – x 0.0667 0.0667
x = 1.247 x 10-6 = [-OH] = 0.00186%
-6
pOH = - log (1.247 x 10 )
pOH = 5.90
pH = 14.00 – 5.90 = 8.10 (accept 8.08, 8.09, or 8.10)
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(c) (5 points) Calculate the pH with 2.00 mL of NaOH added past the equivalence point.

0.0020 L x 0.10 mol = 0.00020 mol NaOH

L

[-OH] = 0.00020 mol = 0.00625 M

10.0 mL + 20. mL + 2.00 mL

new volume = 0.032 L

pOH = - log [-OH] = - log (0.00625)

= 2.204

pH = 14.00 – 2.204 = 11.80

5. OXIDATION/REDUCTION REACTIONS (30 points total)

For a cell constructed with a Cu (s) | Cu2+ (aq) anode and Ag+ (aq) | Ag (s) cathode at 25.0°C.

(a) (5 points) Write the overall balanced equation under acidic conditions.

Cu → Cu2+ + 2e-
2 (Ag+ + e- → Ag)

Cu (s) + 2Ag+ (aq) + 2e- → Cu2+(aq) + 2Ag (s) + 2e-

Cu (s) + 2Ag+ (aq) → Cu2+ (aq) + 2Ag (s)

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(b) (13 points) Calculate the cell potential at 25.0°C under non-standard conditions:
[Cu2+] = 0.300 M and [ Ag+] = 0.0500 M

E°cell = E° (cathode) – E° (anode)

E°cell = 0.80 – 0.34 = 0.46 V

n=2

Q = (0.300)
(0.0500)2

Ecell = E°cell – (1/n)(RT/ℑ)lnQ

= E°cell – 0.025693 V ln 120

2 4.787

= 0.46 V – 0.06150 V

= 0.40 V

(c) (6 points) Is the above cell a galvanic or electrolytic cell under standard conditions? Explain your
choice of answer.

galvanic

ΔE° is positive, so ΔG° is negative

(d) (6 points) Of the following, list all of the atoms or ions that will oxidize Ag (s):
Au+ (aq), Pb2+(aq), Zn (s), Cr3+(aq), Ni (s), Au
(s).

Au+ only
higher redox potential than Ag+
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6. OXIDATION-REDUCTION (12 points total)

The following reaction has an ΔE°(cell) of 2.27 V and a K = 10383 at 25°C:

2 MnO4- (aq) + 5 Zn (s) + 16 H3O+ (aq) € 2Mn2+ (aq) + 5 Zn2+ (aq) +24 H2O (l)

(a) (4 points) What is the oxidation number for Mn in MnO4-?

total charge on the molecule is -1

-
MnO4
4(-2)

+7

(b) (4 points) How many electrons are transferred in this reaction (in other words, what is “n”)?

Consider either: 2 MnO4- + 5e-  Mn2+

 
+7 +2

or

5 Zn  Zn2+ + 2e-
 
0 +2

10 electrons n = 10

-
(c) (4 points) Would you expect a large quantity of MnO4 ions at equilibrium at 25°C? Why or why
not?

No.

Expect a small quantity of MnO4- ions because K is huge.

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Equations and constants for Exam 3

−b ± b 2 − 4ac pKa = -log [Ka]
x=
2a
pOH = -log [OH-]
R = 8.315 J K -1mol -1

ℑ (Faraday's constant) = 96,485 C mol pH = -log [H3O+]

-1

1V = 1 J/C
⎛ [HA] ⎞
1A = 1C/s pH ≅ pK a - log ⎜ ⎟
⎝ [A - ] ⎠

Kw = 1.00 x 10-14 at 25°C ΔE°(cell) = E°(cathode) - E°(anode)

RT/ℑ = 0.025693 V at 25.00 °C

14.00 = pH + pOH at 25°C
ℑ/RT = 38.921 V-1 at 25.00 °C

ΔG° = - RT ln K ΔEcell = E°cell – (RT/ℑ n) lnQ

ΔG = ΔG° + RT ln Q ln K = (nℑ/RT) ΔE°

ΔG° = ΔH° - TΔS° E3° = [n1E1°(reduction) – n2E2°(oxidation)]/n3

⎛K ⎞ ⎛ ΔH°⎞ ⎜⎛ 1 1 ⎟⎞
ln ⎜ 2 ⎟ = - ⎝ − ΔG°cell = -(n)(ℑ) ΔE°cell
⎝ K1 ⎠ R ⎠ ⎝ T2 T1 ⎠

K w = K aKb Q = It

Standard Reduction Potentials at 25°C

Half-Reactions E°(volts)
Au+ (aq)+ e- ⇒ Au (s) 1.69
MnO4- (aq) + 8H+ (aq) + 5e- → Mn2+ (aq) + 4H2O (l) 1.51
Ag+ (aq) + 1e- → Ag (s) 0.80
Cu2+ (aq) + 2e- ⇒ Cu(s) 0.34
AgCl (s) + 1e- → Ag (s) + Cl- (aq) 0.22
Sn4+ (aq) + 2e- → Sn2+ (aq) 0.15
2H+ (aq) + 2e- ⇒ H2 0
Pb2+(aq) + 2 e- ⇒ Pb (s) -0.13
Sn2+(aq) + 2 e- ⇒ Sn (s) -0.14
Ni2+(aq) + 2 e- ⇒ Ni (s) -0.23
Fe2+ (aq) + 2e- → Fe (s) -0.44
Cr3+ (aq) + 3e- ⇒ Cr (s) -0.74
Zn2+(aq) + 2e- ⇒ Zn (s) -0.76
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5.111 Principles of Chemical Science

Fall 2008

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