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Which of the following is a list of the minimum amount of data needed for determining the molar enthThermodynamics Chemistry Question

Question

Which of the following is a list of the minimum amount of data needed for determining the molar enthalpy of solution of KCl(s) in pure H2O(l) ? (Assume that the KCl(aq) has the same specific heat capacity as pure water and that the initial temperatures of the KCl(s) and the water are the same.)

A.

Mass of KCl(s), initial temperature of the water, and final temperature of the solution

B.

Mass of H2O, initial temperature of the water, and final temperature of the solution

C.

Mass of KCl(s), mass of H2O, initial temperature of the water, and final temperature of the solution

✓ Correct
D.

Mass of KCl(s), mass of H2O, initial temperature of the water, final temperature of the solution, and atmospheric pressure

💡 Solution & Explanation

### STEPS:

1. Identify the goal and formula for calorimetry:
The goal is to determine the standard molar enthalpy of solution (ΔHsoln\Delta H_{\text{soln}}) of KCl(s)\text{KCl}(s) in water, which represents the heat released or absorbed per mole of solute dissolved. The fundamental thermodynamic relationship used to measure heat transfer (qq) in a calorimeter is:
q=mcΔTq = m c \Delta T \quad
where qq is the heat of the solution, mm is the total mass of the solution, cc is the specific heat capacity, and ΔT\Delta T is the change in temperature.

2. Determine the mass parameter (mm):
The total mass of the aqueous solution is the sum of the components being mixed:
msolution=mass of KCl(s)+mass of H2O(l)m_{\text{solution}} = \text{mass of KCl}(s) + \text{mass of }\text{H}_2\text{O}(l)
Therefore, to calculate qq, the student must experimentally measure both the mass of KCl(s)\text{KCl}(s) and the mass of H2O\text{H}_2\text{O}.

3. Determine the temperature change parameter (ΔT\Delta T):
The change in temperature is defined as:
ΔT=TfinalTinitial\Delta T = T_{\text{final}} - T_{\text{initial}}
Because the solute and solvent begin at the same temperature, the student must record the initial temperature of the water and the final temperature of the solution upon complete dissolution to find ΔT\Delta T.

4. Determine the moles of solute (nn):
To convert the measured heat (qq) to the *molar* enthalpy of solution (ΔHsoln=qsolutionnKCl\Delta H_{\text{soln}} = \frac{-q_{\text{solution}}}{n_{\text{KCl}}}), the student needs to find the number of moles of solute (nn) using:
nKCl=mass of KClmolar mass of KCln_{\text{KCl}} = \frac{\text{mass of KCl}}{\text{molar mass of KCl}} \quad
Since the molar mass of KCl\text{KCl} is a known constant derived from the periodic table, only the mass of KCl(s)\text{KCl}(s) must be experimentally measured to find the moles.

5. Identify the minimum necessary data set:
Combining the requirements from steps 2, 3, and 4, the student must measure: the mass of KCl(s)\text{KCl}(s), the mass of H2O\text{H}_2\text{O}, the initial temperature of the water, and the final temperature of the solution. This list of parameters directly corresponds to Option C.

*

### WHY_OTHERS_WRONG:

  • Option A is incorrect: This option fails to list the mass of the water. Without knowing the mass of the solvent, the student cannot calculate the total mass (mm) of the solution, preventing the calculation of heat (qq).
  • Option B is incorrect: This option fails to list the mass of KCl(s)\text{KCl}(s). Without this measurement, the student can neither determine the total mass (mm) of the solution to solve for qq, nor calculate the moles of KCl\text{KCl} to determine the *molar* enthalpy change.
  • Option D is incorrect: While this option contains all the correct variables, it unnecessarily includes atmospheric pressure. Dissolving a salt in a standard aqueous solution calorimeter occurs under constant atmospheric pressure; knowing the exact value of this pressure is not required to perform any of the calculations for ΔHsoln\Delta H_{\text{soln}}.
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