In this problem you will investigate the behavior of ordinary hydrogen, H2, at low temperatures. The constant εis0.0076eV. As noted in the text, only half of the terms in the rotational partition function, equation6.3, contribute for any given molecule. More precisely, the set of allowed jvalues is determined by the spin configuration of the two atomic nuclei. There are four independent spin configurations, classified as a single "singlet" state and three "triplet" states. The time required for a molecule to convert between the singlet and triplet configurations is ordinarily quite long, so the properties of the two types of molecules can be studied independently. The singlet molecules are known as parahydrogen while the triplet molecules are known as orthohydrogen.

(a) For parahydrogen, only the rotational states with even values of j are allowed.Use a computer (as in Problem6.28) to calculate the rotational partition function, average energy, and heat capacity of a parahydrogen molecule. Plot the heat capacity as a function of kT/t

(b) For orthohydrogen, only the rotational states with odd values of jare allowed. Repeat part (a) for orthohydrogen.

(c) At high temperature, where the number of accessible even-j states is essentially the same as the number of accessible odd-j states, a sample of hydrogen gas will ordinarily consist of a mixture of 1/4parahydrogen and 3/4orthohydrogen. A mixture with these proportions is called normal hydrogen. Suppose that normal hydrogen is cooled to low temperature without allowing the spin configurations of the molecules to change. Plot the rotational heat capacity of this mixture as a function of temperature. At what temperature does the rotational heat capacity fall to half its hightemperature value (i.e., to k/2per molecule)?

(d) Suppose now that some hydrogen is cooled in the presence of a catalyst that allows the nuclear spins to frequently change alignment. In this case all terms in the original partition function are allowed, but the odd-j terms should be counted three times each because of the nuclear spin degeneracy. Calculate the rotational partition function, average energy, and heat capacity of this system, and plot the heat capacity as a function of kT/t.

(e) A deuterium molecule, D2, has nine independent nuclear spin configurations, of which six are "symmetric" and three are "antisymmetric." The rule for nomenclature is that the variety with more independent states gets called "ortho-," while the other gets called "para-." For orthodeuterium only even-j rotational states are allowed, while for paradeuterium only oddj states are allowed. Suppose, then, that a sample of D2gas, consisting of a normal equilibrium mixture of 2/3ortho and 1/3para, is cooled without allowing the nuclear spin configurations to change. Calculate and plot the rotational heat capacity of this system as a function of temperature.*

Short Answer

Expert verified

(a). The heat capacity as a function of kT/t

C=k(2j+1)e-j(j+1)/tj2(j+1)2(2j+1)e-j(j+1)/tt(2j+1)e-j(j+1)/t2

(b). The heat capacity as function of localid="1651065161814" kT/t

kTϵ=1.67

(c). The rotational heat capacity falls to half its high-temperature value

localid="1651065165025" T=147K

(d). The heat capacity as a function of localid="1651065170400" kT/t

(e) In a mixture of parahydrogen and orthohydrogen, we can just add the heat capacities

CD=23Cpara+13Cortha

Step by step solution

01

Part(a )Step 1:Given information

We have been given thatZ=(2j+1)e-j(j+1)ϵ/kT

02

Part(a) Step 2: Simplify

The steps we will get is:

Z=(2j+1)e-j(j+1)/t

The average energy is given by:

E¯=-1ZZβ

By using the chain rule :

Zβ=Zttβ

Zβ=Ztβt-1

By substitution:

C=k(2j+1)e-j(j+1)/tj2(j+1)2(2j+1)e-j(j+1)/tt(2j+1)e-j(j+1)/t2-kj(j+1)(2j+1)e-j(j+1)/t2t(2j+1)e-j(j+1)/t2

03

Part(b) Step 1:Given information

We have been given thatCmix=14Cpara+34Cortha

04

Part(b) Step 2:simplify

The terms used to find the expression:

kTϵ=1.67

T=1.67ϵk

T=1.67(0.0076eV)8.62×10-5eV/K

T=147K

05

Part(c) Step 1:Given information

We have been given thatZeq=Zpara+3Zortha

06

Part(c) Step 2: Simplify

Parahydrogen is multiplied by factor of 1and orthohydrogen is by 3.

07

Part(d) Step 1 : Given information

We have been given thatZeq=Zpara+3Zortha

08

Part(d) Step 2: Simlify

In this case,the function is in equilibriumC/ka

09

Part(e) Step 1: GIven information

We have been given thatCD=23Cpara+13Cortha

10

Part(e) Step 2: Simplify

In a normal deuterium and orthohydrogen we have 1/4and3/4respectively.

the plot of the garph

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Use the Maxwell distribution to calculate the average value of v2for the molecules of an ideal gas. Check that your answer agrees with equation 6.41.

For an O2molecule, the constant is approximately 0.00018eV. Estimate the rotational partition function for an O2molecule at room temperature.

In this section we computed the single-particle translational partition function,Ztr, by summing over all definite-energy wave functions. An alternative approach, however, is to sum over all position and momentum vectors, as we did in Section 2.5. Because position and momentum are continuous variables, the sums are really integrals, and we need to slip a factor of 1h3to get a unitless number that actually counts the independent wavefunctions. Thus we might guess the formula

role="math" localid="1647147005946" Ztr=1h3d3rd3pe-EtrkT

where the single integral sign actually represents six integrals, three over the position components and three over the momentum components. The region of integration includes all momentum vectors, but only those position vectors that lie within a box of volume V. By evaluating the integrals explicitly, show that this expression yields the same result for the translational partition function as that obtained in the text.

Prove that, for any system in equilibrium with a reservoir at temperature T, the average value of the energy is

E¯=-1ZZβ=-βlnZ

where β=1/kT. These formulas can be extremely useful when you have an explicit formula for the partition function.

The dissociation of molecular hydrogen into atomic hydrogen, H22Hcan be treated as an ideal gas reaction using the techniques of Section 5.6. The equilibrium constant K for this reaction is defined as

K=PH2P0PH2

whereP0is a reference pressure conventionally taken to be1bar,and the other P's are the partial pressures of the two species at equilibrium. Now, using the methods of Boltzmann statistics developed in this chapter, you are ready to calculate K from first principles. Do so. That is, derive a formula for K in terms of more basic quantities such as the energy needed to dissociate one molecule (see Problem 1.53) and the internal partition function for molecular hydrogen. This internal partition function is a product of rotational and vibrational contributions, which you can estimate using the methods and data in Section 6.2. (AnH2 molecule doesn't have any electronic spin degeneracy, but an H atom does-the electron can be in two different spin states. Neglect electronic excited states, which are important only at very high temperatures. The degeneracy due to nuclear spin alignments cancels, but include it if you wish.) Calculate K numerically atT=300K,1000K,3000K,and6000K. Discuss the implications, working out a couple of numerical examples to show when hydrogen is mostly dissociated and when it is not.

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