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Mathematical Skills in Chemistry

Changing the subject and substituting values

  • 3 things to know
  • Component 3

Overview

Recall questions on rearranging the equations chemistry uses — the mole, concentration, the gas equation, Kc, pH and the Arrhenius equation — to make any symbol the subject, substituting with consistent units, and checking a rearrangement by substituting the answer back.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Numbers

Rearrange the concentration relationship to find a volume, and calculate the volume of 0.200 mol dm⁻³ solution containing 0.0500 mol of solute.

Key term

Rearrange q = mcΔT to make the temperature change the subject, and find ΔT when 4180 J is supplied to 100 g of water.

Key term

Explain how the units of a rate constant are worked out from the overall order of the reaction.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Rearrange the relationship between amount, mass and molar mass to make molar mass the subject, and use it for a 1.60 g sample containing 0.0250 mol.

    Model answer

    Since amount is mass divided by molar mass, molar mass is mass divided by amount. Substituting gives 1.60 ÷ 0.0250 = 64.0 g mol⁻¹.

  2. 2

    Rearrange the concentration relationship to find a volume, and calculate the volume of 0.200 mol dm⁻³ solution containing 0.0500 mol of solute.

    Model answer

    Volume equals amount divided by concentration, so 0.0500 ÷ 0.200 = 0.250 dm³, which is 250 cm³.

  3. 3

    Rearrange q = mcΔT to make the temperature change the subject, and find ΔT when 4180 J is supplied to 100 g of water.

    Model answer

    The temperature change is q ÷ (mc), so ΔT = 4180 ÷ (100 × 4.18) = 10.0 °C.

  4. 4

    Write the expression that converts a measured heat change into a molar enthalpy change, and explain the negative sign.

    Model answer

    The molar enthalpy change is −q divided by the amount in moles of the limiting reagent. The sign is negative because heat released to the surroundings raises the temperature of the solution while the system itself has lost energy.

  5. 5

    The decomposition of calcium carbonate has ΔH = +178 kJ mol⁻¹ and ΔS = +161 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹. Calculate the temperature at which it becomes feasible.

    Model answer

    Setting the free energy change to zero gives T = ΔH ÷ ΔS, and converting the enthalpy to joules gives 178 000 ÷ 161 = 1.11 × 10³ K.

  6. 6

    A reaction has the rate equation rate = k[A][B]. Calculate k when the rate is 2.4 × 10⁻⁴ mol dm⁻³ s⁻¹ with [A] = 0.20 mol dm⁻³ and [B] = 0.30 mol dm⁻³.

    Model answer

    Rearranging gives k = rate ÷ ([A][B]) = 2.4 × 10⁻⁴ ÷ (0.20 × 0.30) = 4.0 × 10⁻³ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹.

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AThe equation is k = A exp(−Ea/RT).
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Kc is a fixed number at a given temperature.
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