The dissolution of cobalt­(II) chloride in an appropriate binary alcohol solvent yields an equilibrium mixture, consisting of the differently colored octahedral (pink in color) and tetrahedral (blue in color) cobalt­(II) coordination complexes, which can exhibit a brilliant and reversible pink-to-blue color transition over a ~10 °C window - i.e.,…

A laboratory experiment in which [superscript 1]H NMR and UV-vis spectroscopies are applied to probe the temperature dependence of a monomer-dimer equilibrium involving a cyclopentadienone derivative is described and discussed. Details of the data analysis for extraction of equilibrium constants from the raw experimental data from both techniques…

The conceptual gambit of this article is to propose that the notion of anti-entropy should be complemented by that of exergy investment or destruction, a term first proposed by Zoran Rant in 1956. It argues that one of Bernard Stiegler's most important interventions into deconstruction is the thermodynamic reformulation of Derridean…

In this article we find the thermodynamics of some large N particles systems and some small N particles classical systems using micro canonical ensemble. Small N particle systems are seldom done in textbooks, since statistical mechanics(SM) systems work for large N systems. We show that small N systems will help the students to get an insight…

It is natural to interpret entropy as a measure of energy dispersion. However, the classical, phenomenological introduction to the topic, which relies on detailed analysis of Carnot engines, obscures this interpretation. Here, we propose a modification of the classical approach, which allows the basic properties of entropy to be proven without…

Teaching upper division statistical physics can often be clouded by the theory and complex examples used. To better help students appreciate the fundamental statistical concepts and how they are connected to thermodynamic principles this paper suggests using a simple abstract model. Using Atkins' Model students can see these ideas clearly…

Background: Undergraduate students consistently struggle with mastering concepts related to thermodynamics. Prior work has shown that haptic technology and intensive hands-on workshops help improve learning outcomes relative to traditional lecture-based thermodynamics instruction. The current study takes a more feasible approach to improving…

Periodicity in electronic molar entropy values has been shown on the basis of the electronic structures of the elements. Also, with the approximations discussed herein, one can estimate the electronic molar entropy without atomic spectroscopy results. All of this can be accomplished by showing the connection between the vector model of the atom…

Energy conversion devices such as fuel cells, metal-air batteries, and electrolyzers have been envisaged as possible solutions for cutting down the continuous accumulation of greenhouse gases resulting from the combustion of fossil fuel. The bottleneck reaction for these devices is the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) occurring at the cathode. The…

Of all the conceivable ideal-gas processes, almost all introductory physics textbooks as well as more advanced texts on thermodynamics emphasize only four: isochoric, isobaric, isothermal, and adiabatic (isentropic). These are processes in which a state variable--volume, pressure, temperature, or entropy--remains constant. It turns out that these…

In this research, an educational approach to the concept of energy is proposed. It is based on the history of physics. In 1854 Hermann Hemlholtz gave a popular lecture on the recent discovery that energy is conserved. Such lecture is used as a guide to introduce the pupils within several nuances of this concept. Not much mathematics is used, so…

After waiting in a long line for your favourite cup of coffee, you finally sit down with your mug and find that the coffee is still scalding hot! How long do you need to wait before you can enjoy it? Once it cools enough, how much time do you have to enjoy it? Are there ways to speed up the process? These questions motivate the presented modelling…

Tychonov's 1935 solution of the heat equation, exhibiting nontrivial heat fluxes spontaneously appearing along an isolated conducting rod initially held at zero degrees, has intrigued some specialists for almost a century. No doubt those practicing heat engineers who took mathematics seriously were initially relieved to learn that the construction…

We describe the components and implementation of an activity for multivariable calculus featuring applications to the field of chemistry. This activity focuses on the isobaric thermal expansion coefficient found using partial differentiation of the volume of an ideal gas with respect to temperature as pressure is held constant. Broader goals of…

We use the Survey of Thermodynamic Processes and First and Second Laws-Long (STPFaSL-Long), a research-based survey instrument with 78 items at the level of introductory physics, to investigate introductory and advanced students' difficulties with entropy and the second law of thermodynamics. We present an analysis of data from 12 different…