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1 Ex exam 1    2/1

We now have an official Exam Procedure page. Check it out and know what to expect on Thursday.


Coverage for Exam 1: Exam 1 covers all the material that was covered on LE's 01-07 and HW01 and HW02. Most of the exam is over Chapter 7 (Physical Equilibria) from the gchem site. Remember that the extra practice assignments (1-2) on canvas are a good way to prep as well.

Length / Time for Exam 1: The exam will be at least 25 multiple choice questions. The questions will have a range of point values from 2 points to 4 points. If very short (easy) questions are included, their point values will be 2 points. Point values are included with all questions. The exam is given during class time (9:30-10:45, 11-12:15) which is 75 minutes total which includes the handout time.


Common Chemistry Knowledge (right?)

The following are common calculations that you have to know for any chemistry class. I'm a little embarassed including them - but better safe than sorry.

molecular weight = mass of substance
moles of substance

molarity = moles of solute
liters of solution


%conc = mass of solute
mass solution
x 100%


molality = moles of solute
kg of solvent


mole fraction of A = moles of A
total moles


Main Equations/Formulas for Exam 1

Note that the student will need to know (memorize) all of the mathematical formulas for the exam. The exam cover page will only have constants, conversion factors, and data - no formulas.

\(q = m\cdot C_{\rm s}\cdot \Delta T\)

\(q = m \cdot \Delta H_{\rm transition}\)

\( \ln\left({P_2\over P_1}\right) = {\Delta H_{\rm vap}\over R}\left({1\over T_1}-{1\over T_2}\right) \)

\(\Delta H_{\rm solution} = \Delta H_{\rm lattice} + \Delta H_{\rm hydration}\)

\( C_{\rm gas} = k_{\rm H} \; P_{\rm gas} \)

\(P_{\rm solution} = \chi_{\rm solvent}\cdot P^\circ \)

\(\Delta T_{\rm f} = i\cdot k_{\rm f} \cdot m \)

\(\Delta T_{\rm b} = i\cdot k_{\rm b} \cdot m \)

\(\Pi = i\cdot MRT \)


Heating Curves

Heating a substance:     \(q = m\cdot C_{\rm s}\cdot \Delta T\)

Phase changes:     \(q = m \cdot \Delta H_{\rm change}\)

Know how to calculate for various heating scenarios and phase changes. We WILL provide the heat capacities and enthalpies of change that are needed.

Vapor Pressure vs Temperature

Clausius-Clapeyron Equation:    \( \ln\left({P_2\over P_1}\right) = {\Delta H_{\rm vap}\over R}\left({1\over T_1}-{1\over T_2}\right) \)

Your thinking here is that there are 5 variables in this equation. Somehow, we will give you 4 of them and you'll calculate the last one. Also remember... all normal boiling points have vapor pressures equal to 1 atm by definition.

Making Solutions (aka: Dissolving stuff)

Rule of Thumb: "Likes Dissolve Likes"

Which means that polar solvents tend to best dissolve polar substances and non-polar solvents tend to dissolve non-polar substances. If you have a mismatch (polar/non-polar), you are most likely going to have INsoluble substances - or put another way: the solubility will be very very low if there is a mismatch in polarities.

Dissolving Solids

When a solid does dissolve, the following must be true:

\(\Delta H_{\rm solution} = \Delta H_{\rm lattice} + \Delta H_{\rm hydration}\)

The lattice energy for a solid, \(\Delta H_{\rm lattice}\), is always +positive the way we use it (expanding the solid into separate molecules or ions). The hydration energy, \(\Delta H_{\rm hydration}\), is always –negative in the way we use it. Most salts when dissolving in water tend to have slightly bigger (magnitude) lattice energies than hydration energies which means that most salts have endothermic heats of solution (\(+\Delta H\)).

Dissolving Gases

Because gases have no lattice energy, the heat of solution for all gases is exothermic (\(-\Delta H\)). The solubility of a gas in a solvent is directly proportional to the partial pressure of the gas in contact with the solvent. That is Henry's Law. Quantitatively Henry's Law is:

Henry's Law:     \( C_{\rm gas} = k_{\rm H} \; P_{\rm gas} \)

Colligative Properties

Vapor Pressure Lowering
Raoult's Law:     \(P_{\rm A} = \chi_{\rm A}\cdot P_{\rm A}^\circ \) for volatile solvent A and non-volatile solute
Raoult's Law:     \(P_{\rm total} = \chi_{\rm A}\cdot P_{\rm A}^\circ + \chi_{\rm B}\cdot P_{\rm B}^\circ \) for volatile solvent A and volatile solute B

Freezing Point Depression:     \(\Delta T_{\rm f} = i\cdot k_{\rm f} \cdot m \)

Boiling Point Elevation:     \(\Delta T_{\rm b} = i\cdot k_{\rm b} \cdot m \)

Osmotic Pressure:     \(\Pi = i\cdot MRT \)

Remember: All concentration terms will need adjustment with the van't Hoff factor, \(i\), if the solute dissociates into ions (salts).


Learning Outcomes for Physical Equilibria

Students will be able to...

  1. Demonstrate mastery of and compound and reaction stoichiometry (mole to mole conversion and grams to mole conversions).
  2. Predict the sign of ΔG, ΔH, and/or ΔS for physical change
  3. Understand the concept of spontaneous change and equilibrium in the context of phase changes, including calculating phase transition temperatures from standard thermodynamic data.
  4. Interpret heating curves and calculate heat required for phase transitions and temperature changes.
  5. Describe phase transitions (macroscopically and microscopically).
  6. Understand phase in the context of Boltzmann distribution.
  7. Understand how intermolecular forces, temperature, and solute concentration affect vapor pressure.
  8. Interpret phase diagrams and identify normal boiling and melting point, critical point, and triple point.
  9. Describe the factors that favor the dissolution process in terms of intermolecular forces and thermodynamics (eg.: enthalpies of solution, hydration, lattice energy, entropies of solution, free energy of solution, and temperature).
  10. Describe how T and P (Henry’s Law) each affect solubility.
  11. Define and perform calculations for common concentration units: molarity, molality, and mole fraction.
  12. Perform calculations and understand the concepts of the 4 colligative properties: vapor pressure lowering, boiling point elevation, freezing point depression, and osmotic pressure.
  13. Describe the dissociation of ionic compounds in solution and the effects on colligative properties (van’t Hoff factor, i ).