Indicate which of the following is independent of the path by which a change occurs: (a) the change in potential energy when a book is transferred from table to shelf, (b) the heat evolved when a cube of sugar is oxidized to \(\operatorname{CO}_{2}(g)\) and \(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}(g),(\mathbf{c})\) the work accomplished in burning a gallon of gasoline.

Short Answer

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The process independent of the path by which the change occurs is (a) the change in potential energy when a book is transferred from table to shelf, as potential energy is a state function that depends only on initial and final positions.

Step by step solution

01

Answer

The process that is independent of the path by which the change occurs is (a) the change in potential energy when a book is transferred from table to shelf. This is because the potential energy depends only on the initial and final positions of the book, not on the specific path taken to transfer it. The other processes, (b) and (c), involve heat and work, which are path functions and depend on the steps taken to achieve the change.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Consider the following reaction: $$2 \mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{OH}(g) \longrightarrow 2 \mathrm{CH}_{4}(g)+\mathrm{O}_{2}(g) \quad \Delta H=+252.8 \mathrm{kJ}$$ (a) Is this reaction exothermic or endothermic? (b) Calculate the amount of heat transferred when 24.0 of \(\mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{OH}(g)\) is decomposed by this reaction at constant pressure. (c) For a given sample of \(\mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{OH},\) the enthalpy change during the reaction is 82.1 kJ. How many grams of methane gas are produced? (\mathbf{d} ) How many kilojoules of heatare released when 38.5 \(\mathrm{g}\) of \(\mathrm{CH}_{4}(g)\) reacts completely with \(\mathrm{O}_{2}(g)\) to form \(\mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{OH}(g)\) at constant pressure?

(a) Write an equation that expresses the first law of thermodynamics in terms of heat and work. (b) Under what conditions will the quantities q and w be negative numbers?

The complete combustion of ethanol, \(\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{5} \mathrm{OH}(l),\) to form \(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}(g)\) and \(\mathrm{CO}_{2}(g)\) at constant pressure releases 1235 \(\mathrm{kJ}\) of heat per mole of \(\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{5} \mathrm{OH}\) (a) Write a balanced thermochemical equation for this reaction. (b) Draw an enthalpy diagram for the reaction.

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Calculate \(\Delta E\) and determine whether the process is endothermic or exothermic for the following cases: (a) \(q=0.763 \mathrm{kJ}\) and \(w=-840 \mathrm{J} .\) (b) A system releases 66.1 \(\mathrm{kJ}\) of heat to its surroundings while the surroundings do 44.0 \(\mathrm{kJ}\) of work on the system.

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