Tutoring chemistry, nitrogen may not be discussed much in some contexts. The tutor mentions a reason why. Nitrogen gas, N2, is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere, making up about 78 percent of it. Yet, gaseous nitrogen seems almost …
Chemistry: why nitrogen gas seems non-participatory at room temperature Read more →
Tutoring chemistry, interesting applications can come up. The tutor mentions one connected with Gibbs free energy. In my previous post I mention Gibbs free energy and how it can be used to predict spontaneity. Specifically, if Gibbs free energy decreases …
Chemistry: why clotheslines can still work in winter, part1 Read more →
The tutor explains why a chemical system will exist at equilibrium. Over my last couple of posts I’ve defined reaction and equilibrium. I’ve also explained why a reaction will proceed spontaneously. (For background see here and here.) Today, the focus …
The tutor explains why a reaction goes forward. Consider, from my previous post, the following reaction: C3H8 + 5O2→3CO2+4H20, ΔH=-2219 kJ/mol This reaction proceeds from left to right because, by so doing, it follows nature’s two preferred trends: Entropy rises …
Chemistry: why a reaction proceeds from left to right Read more →
The tutor introduces a topic that academic chemists love. Enthalpy appears in high school chemistry. The definition of enthalpy, H, is H=Eint+PV where Eint is the internal energy content of the product, while PV is work done by volume increasing …