MCAT Physical : Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Other Concepts

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for MCAT Physical

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Example Questions

Example Question #9 : Gibbs Free Energy

For any given chemical reaction, one can draw an energy diagram. Energy diagrams depict the energy levels of the different steps in a reaction, while also indicating the net change in energy and giving clues to relative reaction rate. 

Below, a reaction diagram is shown for a reaction that a scientist is studying in a lab. A student began the reaction the evening before, but the scientist is unsure as to the type of the reaction. He cannot find the student’s notes, except for the reaction diagram below.

 

 

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Instead of "Energy" on the Y-axis, the graduate student in the passage instead labels the axis "Heat." In this case, what can we say for sure about the reaction in question?

(Note: consider the reaction in the vessel to be the system, and the remainder of the universe as the surroundings)

Possible Answers:

The surroundings must lose entropy

The system must lose entropy

The system may either lose or gain entropy

The system must gain entropy

There is no net entropy change in the system or the surroundings

Correct answer:

The system may either lose or gain entropy

Explanation:

With the change to the chart described in the passage, we know that the system is losing heat from reactants to products (5 is lower than 1). This heat is going out of the system to the surroundings, increasing entropy of the universe. Because of this, the system may either gain or lose entropy.

Any entropy losses in the system, however, must be more than balanced by the entropy gained via heat in the surroundings. The universe (system + surroundings) always has a net gain of entropy. Essentailly, since the value for the surroundings will be positive, the value for the system may be either positive or negative, as long at their sum remains positive.

Example Question #1 : Gibbs Free Energy

Imagine there is an endothermic reaction where entropy is increased in the system. This reaction is not spontaneous at room temperature. What can be done in order to make the reaction spontaneous?

Possible Answers:

Add a catalyst

Increase the concentration of the products

Decrease the reactant concentrations

Increase the temperature

Correct answer:

Increase the temperature

Explanation:

The Gibbs free energy equation is written as .

Since a negative  results in a spontaneous reaction, we can manipulate the variables in order to make the reaction progress. Since entropy is positive in this equation, an increasing temperature will eventually equal the positive enthalpy of the reaction. Once the temperature overtakes the enthalpy, the reaction will be spontaneous. 

In order to be spontaneous, in this case, .

Example Question #11 : Gibbs Free Energy

Imagine the following reaction: .

The reaction has an equilibrium constant of 45.8. The initial concentrations of A, B, and C result in a reaction quotient of 35.6.

Which of the following is true at the beginning of the reaction?

Possible Answers:

The reaction is not spontaneous

Keq and  are both greater than 1

Correct answer:

Explanation:

When a reaction is spontaneous,  is less than 0. Since the reaction quotient (Q) is less than the equilibrium constant (Keq), the reaction will proceed in the forward direction.

Example Question #42 : Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, And Other Concepts

Imagine a galvanic cell which uses solid zinc and aqueous iron ions to produce a voltage.

 

    

     

Based on the above reaction, which of the following statements is false?

Possible Answers:

Electrons will travel from the anode to the cathode

The reaction is spontaneous

Correct answer:

Explanation:

A positive cell potential means that the reaction is spontaneous, and is true of all galvanic cells. This is seen in the equation , where "" is the number of electrons in moles that are transferred in the balanced equation, "" is Faraday's constant, and "" is the cell potential. A positive cell potential results in a negative  meaning the reaction is spontaneous.

A negative  value means that the equilibrium constant for the reaction is greater than 1, while a positive value mean the equilibrium constant is less than 1.

Example Question #11 : Gibbs Free Energy

The combustion of liquid hexane in air at 298K gives gaseous carbon dioxide and liquid water, as shown in this reaction.

.

The  for this reaction at 298K is .

At 298K, the  for the above reaction would be __________. At very low temperature, the  would be __________, meaning the reaction would be __________ at very low temperature. Assume  is the same at 298K and at very low temperature.

Possible Answers:

negative . . . positive . . . non-spontaneous

positive . . . positive . . . non-spontaneous

negative . . . negative . . . non-spontaneous

positive . . . negative . . . spontaneous

negative . . . negative . . . spontaneous

Correct answer:

negative . . . negative . . . spontaneous

Explanation:

 for this reaction is negative, because the reactants have nineteen moles of gas while the products have only twelve. Entropy will always decrease in the system if there is a decrease in the number of moles of gas; we know that entropy must be negative for this reaction.

To determine the  at low temperature, use the following formula for Gibbs free energy.

The reaction is exothermic because we are giver that the enthalpy is negative.

 

The entropy, , is also negative, as discussed above.

This makes our equation .

Remember that temperature is given in Kelvin, and will never be negative. At very low temperatures, the  term will be dominant, and will be less than zero, making negative. A negative value for indicates that the reaction will be spontaneous.

Example Question #14 : Gibbs Free Energy

If the overall reaction has a positive change in entropy, which of the following statements about the reaction spontaneity is true?

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Possible Answers:

The reaction is spontaneous at room temperature

The reaction is not spontaneous at any temperature

The reaction is spontaneous only at low temperatures

The reaction is spontaneous at all temperatures

The reaction is spontaneous only at high temperatures

Correct answer:

The reaction is spontaneous at all temperatures

Explanation:

A reaction is spontaneous if the change of Gibbs free energy  is less than zero.

The total reaction is the change .

For this question, the change of enthalpy  is negative, since D is lower in energy than A. There is a net release of energy, making the reaction exothermic. The question states that the change of entropy  is positive, and temperature is always positive when measured in Kelvin. We can return to the Gibbs free energy equation to see the result of these characteristics.

Both terms on the right side are always negative, and  would always be negative. The reaction would be spontaneous at any temperature.

Example Question #15 : Gibbs Free Energy

Which set of conditions will result in a reaction always being non-spontaneous?

Possible Answers:

A positive  and positive

A negative and positive

A negative and negative 

A positive  and negative 

Equal values for and

Correct answer:

A positive  and negative 

Explanation:

A chemical reaction will be spontaneous when its change in Gibbs free energy, or , is negative. This value can be represented numerically by the equation:

First, let's look at the value for . The equation is more likely to yield a negative  value if this variable is below zero, so we want a negative value for . , however, is being subtracted, so a positive  value will give us a more negative . In combination, these conditions give us a negative value minus a positive one, which will always yield a negative answer.

If a reaction with a negative and a positive is always spontaneous, we can reason that a reaction with a positive and negative can never be spontaneous. This combination will yield a positive value minus a negative value, always resulting in a positive solution.

Example Question #41 : Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, And Other Concepts

A student conducts an experiment for a chemistry class. The student wishes to explore power generation from different types of voltaic cells. He sets up three different cells, and then compares the amount of energy generated from each one.

One of his cells is shown below as an example. Both remaining cells follow the same layout.

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A scientist discovers that a voltaic cell he constructs is able to run and produce energy indefinitely, without ever needing intervention again. Which law is this cell violating?

Possible Answers:

The zeroth law of thermodynamics

The first law of thermodynamics

The third law of thermodynamics

The second law of thermodynamics

The cell is not violating thermodynamics

Correct answer:

The first law of thermodynamics

Explanation:

The first law of thermodynamics is the conservation of energy law. A cell that produces energy indefinitely is functionally a perpetual motion machine, and is prohibited by the first law.

Example Question #2 : Laws Of Thermodynamics

A researcher measures the kinetic energy of a chair sliding on a rough floor. At the beginning of motion the chair has a kinetic energy of . Once the chair stops sliding the kinetic energy is . What can you conclude about the researcher’s results?

Possible Answers:

The results are invalid because they violate the second law of thermodynamics

The results do not violate the first law of thermodynamics because energy is not destroyed

The results are invalid because they violate the first law of thermodynamics

The results do not violate the second law of thermodynamics because energy can be destroyed if entropy increases

Correct answer:

The results do not violate the first law of thermodynamics because energy is not destroyed

Explanation:

The first law of thermodynamics states that the energy of the universe is constant because energy cannot be created or destroyed; however, it is possible for energy to be converted from one form to another. In this question the chair has kinetic energy in the beginning, but it loses all of this energy once it stops. This doesn’t mean that the kinetic energy is destroyed; it means that the kinetic energy is converted to another form of energy. Since it is sliding on a floor with a lot of friction (rough floor), the chair converts the kinetic energy to heat.

The second law of thermodynamics states that the entropy of the universe is always increasing. This law is irrelevant to the question.

Example Question #42 : Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, And Other Concepts

Which of the following is true of an adiabatic expansion?

Possible Answers:

Heat is gained

Temperature increases

Heat is lost

Temperature remains constant

Temperature decreases

Correct answer:

Temperature decreases

Explanation:

In thermodynamics, no heat is exchanged in an adiabatic process, so heat is neither gained, nor lost. In an adiabatic compression temperature increases, but in an expansion temperature decreases.

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