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Learning Outcomes for Exam 4


Learning Outcomes for Thermodynamics

Students will be able to...

  1. Identify the system, surroundings, and universe in order to distinguish what is changing during a chemical and/or physical process.
  2. Define and recognize state versus process functions.
  3. Describe the concept of the energy units, including calories, kilocalories, and kilojoule.
  4. Distinguish between kinetic energy, potential energy, and electromagnetic energy.
  5. Define the first law of thermodynamics in the context of internal energy, heat, and work.
  6. Recall sign conventions associated with thermodynamic change.
  7. Define conduction and describe the microscopic view of thermal energy transfer due to molecular collisions.
  8. Define heat capacity, specific heat capacity, and molar heat capacity.
  9. Calculate the heat and work associated with chemical and/or physical change.
  10. Calculate PΔV (expansion) work for both physical and chemical changes. Define the change in enthalpy.
  11. Define enthalpy, and calculate the enthalpy change for chemical and/or physical changes.
  12. Calculate change in enthalpy for physical change – both change in temperature and phase change.
  13. Fully interpret the heating curve of a substance.
  14. Draw and fully interpret energy reaction diagrams.
  15. Differentiate between the change in internal energy and enthalpy for a process, and describe how these quantities are measured (coffee cup vs. bomb calorimetry).
  16. Calculate the change in enthalpy (ΔH) and internal energy (ΔU) based on calorimetric data.
  17. Write formation reactions for elements and compounds.
  18. Calculate change in enthalpy based on tabulated data (e.g. Hess’s law, formation data, bond enthalpy data).
  19. Define entropy (S) and describe the second law of thermodynamics in the context of ΔS.
  20. Differentiate between the entropy of system, surroundings, and universe.
  21. Recognize how changes in system properties (T, V, phase, mixing, and composition) will affect the entropy of the system.
  22. Calculate change in entropy for the system and surroundings for a physical change.
  23. Describe entropy using a microscopic perspective of energy distribution (Boltzmann/microstates).
  24. Calculate change in entropy for the system and surroundings for a physical change.
  25. Define the change in free energy.
  26. Calculate change in free energy (ΔG) for a chemical change from change in enthalpy and change in entropy.
  27. Use the change in free energy to determine the spontaneity of a chemical and/or physical process at a given temperature.
  28. Calculate ΔG for a chemical change from tabulated thermodynamic data.
  29. Link ΔG to the second law of thermodynamics and chemical equilibrium.