UNIVERSITY OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY, TARKWA

MINERALS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT, SEMESTER 1, 2020/2021 ACADEMIC YEAR

MR 275 METALLURGICAL THERMODYNAMICS
ASSIGNMENT 1

Assignment Date: Monday, 7th March, 2021

Submission Date: Friday,12 th March, 2021
____________________________________________________________________

Q1. a) The hypothetical reaction below is second order with respect to A.

aA →products
i) Derive an expression for the integrated rate law for this reaction (2 marks)
ii) ii) Derive an expression for the half-life t ½ of the reaction. (2 marks)
b) A certain first-order reaction has a half-life of 40.0 min.
i) Calculate the rate constant for this reaction (4 marks)
ii) Determine the time required for this reaction to be:
α) 25% β) 75% γ) 85% δ) 96% complete
(8 marks)
Q2. Buthane gas (C4H10) can undergo thermal decomposition to form a mixture of gaseous
reductants ethylene (C2H4) and hydrogen (H2) at suitable temperatures for use as reductants in
ironmaking:
C4H10 (g) ⇌ 2C2H4 (g) + H2 (g)
a) Using the law of mass action, write an expression for the equilibrium constant K p for this
reaction. (4 marks)
b) Calculate ∆H and ∆Sr for the reaction at 25 °C.
o o
(6 marks)
c) Discuss the effect of i) a decrease in temperature and ii) an increase in volume of
the container on the production of H2 (6 marks)
d) Determine the temperature required to achieve 95% recovery at a total pressure of
1.0 bar. (9 marks)

Substance ∆H of (kJ mol-1) ∆So (J K-1 mol-1)

C4H10 (g) -126 310
C2H4 (g) 52 220
H2 (g) 0 131

Q3. One of the reactions that occur in the exhaust pipe of ‘katalysator’ engines is the catalytic
decomposition of toxic nitrogen (II) oxide (NO) into nitrogen (N2) and oxygen (O2).
 NO(g) = ½ O2(g) + ½ N2(g)
Calculate ∆H°, ∆G° and K (at 25°C) for this reaction using the data below. (4marks)

i) Discuss the effect of temperature on the destruction of NO (2marks)

ii) The reaction is allowed to occur in reactor of variable volume
iii) Discuss the effect of an increase in the volume of the reactor on the destruction of
NO. (2 marks)

Substance H of (kJ mol-1) So (J K-1 mol-1)

NO(g) 90 211
N2(g) 0 192
O2(g) 0 205

Q4. Electrical conductivity measurements give the solubility of BaSO 4(S) in water at 25°C as
−5
1.05 ×10 M. Calculate the Ksp value for this reaction. (2 Marks)