BINDURA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION

FACULTY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

NAME : Maronga Chrispen

REG No : B1852150

PROGRAMME : HBSc.ed Chemistry

COURSE Description : Advanced physical chemistry

COURSE CODE : CH311

LEVEL : Part 3.2[2021]

Assignment No :1
1. What are adhesion and cohesion forces? [2 marks]
Attractive forces include adhesive and cohesive forces. These forces explain why various
molecules are attracted to or repel each other. The attraction between dissimilar molecules is
described by adhesive forces. The attraction between molecules of the same substance is
referred to as cohesive force.
2. Xylems are channels in tree trunks used to transport water upwards. Assume that
they all have a diameter of 1.5 x 10-6 m. Is capillary rise sufficient to transport
water to the top of the tree that is 54 m high? Assume also that there is complete
wetting of the xylem channels. [4 marks]
2 yCos ∅
h=
pgr

2 x 72 x 10−3 x 1
997 kg m−3 x 9.81 x 1.5 x 10−6
=9.82m
The capillary rise is not significant so the water will not transport

3. Explain why the free surface of water is concave but that of mercury is convex. [3
marks]
The adhesive forces between the water and the glass are stronger than the cohesive forces
between the water molecules when water is placed in a graded cylinder. The strong adhesive
forces between the water and the glass pull the water's edges up and away from the glass,
generating a concave curved meniscus. The cohesive forces in mercury are stronger than the
adhesive forces between the mercury and the glass when it is placed in a graduated cylinder.
Mercury's strong cohesive forces bring it together, generating a convex-shaped meniscus.

4. (a) What are liposomes? Explain using diagrams. [6 marks]

Liposomes can be defined as nano- and microsized colloidal multilayer vesicles comprising
an aqueous compartment enclosed by a bilayer made of either natural or synthetic lipids, as
well as the combination of both.
 (b) How are liposomes different from reverse micelles? [4 marks]

A lipid bilayer separates an aqueous internal compartment from the bulk aqueous phase in
liposomes. Micelles are lipid monolayers that have a fatty acid core and a polar surface, or a
polar core with fatty acids on the surface 

5. What is the physical origin of the pressure difference across a curved liquid–gas
interface? [4 marks]
The origin is the cohesive forces I the liquid. Across an interface, the resultant force vector is
not zero in magnitude. If the interface is curved, the resultant force tends to minimise the
surface area, leading to a pressure difference across the interface.
6. Derive the Laplace equation. [6 marks]
ρ
σδl sinφ = σφδl = σ δl, R2

2ρσδl .

7. Describe the Cleansing action of soap, in point form. [6 marks]

  In water, a sodium soap dissolves to form soap anions and sodium cations. For
example, the following chemical equation shows the ionisation of sodium palmitate.

• A soap anion is made up of a long hydrocarbon chain with a carboxylate group on one end,
which is hydrophobic and soluble in oils and grease.

• The carboxylate group, which is hydrophilic and soluble in water, is the ionic
component.

• A detergent dissolves in water to produce detergent anions and sodium cations. The
ionisation of sodium alkyl sulphate and sodium alkylbenzene sulphonate, for example, is
seen in the chemical equations below.

• Similarly, a detergent's anion component has a hydrophobic and hydrophilic component.

 The following explains the cleansing action of a soap or detergent.on a piece of cloth
with a greasy stain.

o A soap or detergent anion consists of a hydrophobic part and a hydrophilic

part.

o Soap or detergent reduces the surface tension of water.

o Therefore, the surface of the cloth is wetted thoroughly.
o The hydrophobic parts of the soap or detergent anions are soluble in grease.
o The hydrophilic parts of the anions are soluble in water.
o Scrubbing or mechanical agitation helps to pull the grease away from the cloth
and the grease is broken into smaller droplets.
o Repulsion between the droplets causes the droplets to be suspended in water,
forming an emulsion.
o Thus, the droplets do not coagulate or redeposit on the cloth.
o Rinsing washes away the droplets.