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

Consider an ideal gas of highly relativistic particles ( such as photons or fast-moving electrons) whose energy-momentum relation is E=pcinstead of E=p22m. Assume that these particles live in a one-dimensional universe. By following the same logic as above, derive a formula for the single particle partition function,Z1, for one particle in the gas.

Prove that the probability of finding an atom in any particular energy level is P(E)=(1/Z)e-F/kT, whereF=E-TS and the "'entropy" of a level is k times the logarithm of the number of degenerate states for that level.

Estimate the probability that a hydrogen atom at room temperature is in one of its first excited states (relative to the probability of being in the ground state). Don't forget to take degeneracy into account. Then repeat the calculation for a hydrogen atom in the atmosphere of the starγ UMa, whose surface temperature is approximately 9500 K.

Cold interstellar molecular clouds often contain the molecule cyanogen (CN), whose first rotational excited states have an energy of 4.7x 10-4 eV (above the ground state). There are actually three such excited states, all with the same energy. In 1941, studies of the absorption spectrum of starlight that passes | through these molecular clouds showed that for every ten CN molecules that are in the ground state, approximately three others are in the three first excited states (that is, an average of one in each of these states). To account for this data, astronomers suggested that the molecules might be in thermal equilibrium with some "reservoir" with a well-defined temperature. What is that temperature?

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.

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