IChO 2011 · Theory problem 3

Isotope effects in diatomic molecules

At a temperature of 0 K, the total energy of a gaseous diatomic molecule \(\ce{AB}\) is approximately given by:

\[ E=E_{\mathrm{o}}+E_{\mathrm{vib}} \]

where \(E_{\mathrm{o}}\) is the electronic energy of the ground state, and \(E_{\mathrm{vib}}\) is the vibrational energy.

Allowed values of the vibrational energies are given by the expression:

\[ E_{\mathrm{vib}}=\left(\nu+\frac12\right)\varepsilon \qquad \nu=0,1,2,\ldots \qquad \varepsilon=\frac{h}{2\pi}\sqrt{\frac{k}{\mu}} \qquad \mu(\ce{AB})=\frac{m_A m_B}{m_A+m_B} \]

where \(h\) is the Planck’s constant, \(\nu\) is the vibrational quantum number, \(k\) is the force constant, and \(\mu\) is the reduced mass of the molecule. At 0 K, it may be safely assumed that \(\nu\) is zero, and \(E_{\mathrm{o}}\) and \(k\) are independent of isotopic substitution in the molecule.

Deuterium, D, is an isotope of hydrogen atom with mass number 2. For the \(\ce{H2}\) molecule, \(k\) is \(575.11\ \mathrm{N\,m^{-1}}\), and the isotopic molar masses of H and D are 1.0078 and \(2.0141\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\), respectively.

At a temperature of 0 K: \(\varepsilon_{\ce{H2}}=1.1546\,\varepsilon_{\ce{HD}}\) and \(\varepsilon_{\ce{D2}}=0.8167\,\varepsilon_{\ce{HD}}\).

3.1 Calculate the enthalpy change, \(\Delta H\), in \(\mathrm{kJ\cdot mol^{-1}}\) for the following reaction at 0 K:

Figure 1

3.2 Calculate the frequency in \(\mathrm{s^{-1}}\) of infrared photons that can be absorbed by \(\ce{HD}\) molecule.

(If you have been unable to calculate the value for \(\varepsilon_{\ce{HD}}\) then use \(8.000\cdot10^{-20}\ \mathrm{J}\) for the calculation.)

The allowed electronic energies of H atom are given by the expression:

\[ E=-\frac{R_H}{n^2},\quad n=1,2,\ldots \qquad \text{where }R_H=13.5984\ \mathrm{eV}, \text{ and }1\ \mathrm{eV}=1.602\cdot10^{-19}\ \mathrm{J} \]

The total energy of \(\ce{H2}\) molecule in its ground state is \(-31.675\ \mathrm{eV}\), relative to the same reference as that of hydrogen atom.

3.3 Calculate the dissociation energy, DE, in eV of a hydrogen molecule in its ground state such that both H atoms are produced in their ground states.

3.4 A molecule \(\ce{H2}\) in the ground state dissociates into its atoms after absorbing a photon of wavelength 77.0 nm. Determine all possibilities for the electronic states of hydrogen atoms produced. For each case calculate the total kinetic energy, KE, in eV of the dissociated hydrogen atoms.

3.5 Calculate the electron affinity, EA, of \(\ce{H2+}\) ion in eV if its dissociation energy is 2.650 eV. If you have been unable to calculate the value for the dissociation energy of \(\ce{H2}\) then use 4.500 eV for the calculation.)

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 3.1: For \(\ce{H2(g) + D2(g) -> 2HD(g)}\), \(\boxed{\Delta H=+0.6544\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}}\).
  • 3.2: \(\boxed{f=1.143\times10^{14}\ \mathrm{s^{-1}}}\).
  • 3.3: \(\boxed{\mathrm{DE}=4.478\ \mathrm{eV}}\).
  • 3.4: The possible principal quantum numbers are \(\boxed{(n_A,n_B)=(1,1)}\), with total \(\boxed{\mathrm{KE}\approx11.63\ \mathrm{eV}}\), and \(\boxed{(1,2)\text{ or }(2,1)}\), with total \(\boxed{\mathrm{KE}\approx1.43\ \mathrm{eV}}\).
  • 3.5: \(\boxed{\mathrm{EA}(\ce{H2+})=15.427\ \mathrm{eV}}\), the energy released in \(\ce{H2+ + e- -> H2}\).

Solution

The numerical values of \(h\), \(N_{\mathrm A}\), and \(c\) are not printed in the supplied excerpt. We use their standard SI values:

\[ h=6.62607015\times10^{-34}\ \mathrm{J\,s},\qquad N_{\mathrm A}=6.02214076\times10^{23}\ \mathrm{mol^{-1}}, \qquad c=299792458\ \mathrm{m\,s^{-1}}, \]

together with the supplied conversion \(1\ \mathrm{eV}=1.602\times10^{-19}\ \mathrm{J}\).

The species used below have the following names and SMILES:

Species Name SMILES
\(\ce{H2}\) Dihydrogen, containing two protium atoms [1H][1H]
\(\ce{D2}\) Dideuterium [2H][2H]
\(\ce{HD}\) Hydrogen deuteride [1H][2H]
\(\ce{H2+}\) Dihydrogen radical cation [H][H+]
\(\ce{H}\) Hydrogen atom [H]
\(\ce{H+}\) Hydrogen ion, a proton [H+]

These SMILES do not specify vibrational or atomic electronic states. For \(\ce{H2+}\), the SMILES gives a formal connectivity and charge representation; its actual bond contains one delocalized electron and has bond order \(1/2\).

3.1

The balanced isotope-exchange reaction is

\[ \ce{H2(g) + D2(g) -> 2HD(g)}. \]

First calculate the reduced mass of one \(\ce{HD}\) molecule:

\[ \begin{aligned} \mu_{\ce{HD}} &=\frac{M_{\ce{H}}M_{\ce{D}}} {M_{\ce{H}}+M_{\ce{D}}}\frac{1}{N_{\mathrm A}}\\ &=\frac{(1.0078)(2.0141)}{1.0078+2.0141} \frac{10^{-3}\ \mathrm{kg\,mol^{-1}}} {6.02214076\times10^{23}\ \mathrm{mol^{-1}}}\\ &=1.11538\times10^{-27}\ \mathrm{kg}. \end{aligned} \]

Since the force constant is independent of isotopic substitution,

\[ \begin{aligned} \varepsilon_{\ce{HD}} &=\frac{h}{2\pi}\sqrt{\frac{k}{\mu_{\ce{HD}}}}\\ &=\frac{6.62607015\times10^{-34}\ \mathrm{J\,s}}{2\pi} \sqrt{\frac{575.11\ \mathrm{N\,m^{-1}}} {1.11538\times10^{-27}\ \mathrm{kg}}}\\ &=7.57250\times10^{-20}\ \mathrm{J}. \end{aligned} \]

At 0 K, each molecule has vibrational energy \(\varepsilon/2\). The electronic contributions cancel because all three isotopic molecules have the same \(E_{\mathrm{o}}\). Also, \(\Delta H=\Delta U\): the ideal-gas correction \(\Delta n_{\mathrm g}RT\) vanishes.

Thus, per mole of reaction as written,

\[ \begin{aligned} \Delta H &=\frac{N_{\mathrm A}}{2} \left(2\varepsilon_{\ce{HD}} -\varepsilon_{\ce{H2}}-\varepsilon_{\ce{D2}}\right)\\ &=\frac{N_{\mathrm A}\varepsilon_{\ce{HD}}}{2} (2-1.1546-0.8167)\\ &=(6.02214076\times10^{23}) (7.57250\times10^{-20})(0.01435)\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}}\\ &=\boxed{+0.6544\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}}. \end{aligned} \]

The reaction is endothermic because the products have the higher combined zero-point vibrational energy.

3.2

For the harmonic oscillator, the fundamental absorption takes the molecule from \(\nu=0\) to \(\nu=1\). Its energy is

\[ \Delta E=\left(\frac32-\frac12\right)\varepsilon_{\ce{HD}} =\varepsilon_{\ce{HD}}. \]

Writing the photon frequency as \(f\), to distinguish it from the vibrational quantum number \(\nu\),

\[ hf=\varepsilon_{\ce{HD}}. \]

Therefore,

\[ f=\frac{7.57250\times10^{-20}\ \mathrm{J}} {6.62607015\times10^{-34}\ \mathrm{J\,s}} =\boxed{1.143\times10^{14}\ \mathrm{s^{-1}}}. \]

3.3

The dissociation reaction is

\[ \ce{H2(g) -> 2H(g)}, \]

with both product atoms in \(n=1\). Each ground-state atom has energy

\[ E_1=-R_H=-13.5984\ \mathrm{eV}. \]

The quoted molecular energy already includes its ground-state vibrational contribution. Hence

\[ \begin{aligned} \mathrm{DE} &=2E_1-E(\ce{H2})\\ &=2(-13.5984)-(-31.675)\\ &=4.4782\ \mathrm{eV}\\ &\approx\boxed{4.478\ \mathrm{eV}}. \end{aligned} \]

3.4

The photodissociation reaction is

\[ \ce{H2 ->[h f] H + H}, \qquad \lambda=77.0\ \mathrm{nm}. \]

The absorbed photon has energy

\[ \begin{aligned} E_\gamma &=\frac{hc}{\lambda}\\ &=\frac{(6.62607015\times10^{-34})(299792458)} {77.0\times10^{-9}}\ \mathrm{J}\\ &=16.1036\ \mathrm{eV}. \end{aligned} \]

After dissociation into two ground-state atoms, the available excess energy would be

\[ Q=E_\gamma-\mathrm{DE} =16.1036-4.4782 =11.6254\ \mathrm{eV}. \]

Exciting an atom from \(n=1\) to \(n\) requires

\[ E_{\mathrm{exc}}(n)=R_H\left(1-\frac{1}{n^2}\right). \]

Thus, for product states \(n_A,n_B\),

\[ \mathrm{KE} =Q-R_H\left(1-\frac{1}{n_A^2}\right) -R_H\left(1-\frac{1}{n_B^2}\right)\geq0. \]

The first two excitation energies are

\[ E_{\mathrm{exc}}(2)=13.5984\left(1-\frac14\right) =10.1988\ \mathrm{eV}, \]

\[ E_{\mathrm{exc}}(3)=13.5984\left(1-\frac19\right) =12.0875\ \mathrm{eV}. \]

One atom can therefore reach \(n=2\), but \(n=3\) or higher is inaccessible. Exciting both atoms requires at least

\[ 2E_{\mathrm{exc}}(2)=20.3976\ \mathrm{eV}>Q, \]

so at least one atom must remain in its ground state.

Product states \((n_A,n_B)\) Total atomic electronic energy Total kinetic energy
\((1,1)\) \(-27.1968\ \mathrm{eV}\) \(11.6254\ \mathrm{eV}\approx\boxed{11.63\ \mathrm{eV}}\)
\((1,2)\) or \((2,1)\) \(-16.9980\ \mathrm{eV}\) \(11.6254-10.1988=1.4266\ \mathrm{eV}\approx\boxed{1.43\ \mathrm{eV}}\)

Interchanging the two identical hydrogen atoms does not create a distinct physical outcome. The supplied energy model identifies electronic states by their principal quantum number \(n\).

3.5

The molecular ion dissociates according to

\[ \ce{H2+(g) -> H(g) + H+(g)}, \qquad D_+=2.650\ \mathrm{eV}. \]

Take a separated proton and free electron as the zero of electronic energy, consistently with the supplied hydrogen-atom energy formula. Then

\[ \begin{aligned} E(\ce{H2+}) &=E(\ce{H})+E(\ce{H+})-D_+\\ &=-13.5984+0-2.650\\ &=-16.2484\ \mathrm{eV}. \end{aligned} \]

Electron attachment is

\[ \ce{H2+(g) + e- -> H2(g)}. \]

Electron affinity is the positive energy released in this process:

\[ \begin{aligned} \mathrm{EA} &=E(\ce{H2+})+E(\ce{e-})-E(\ce{H2})\\ &=-16.2484+0-(-31.675)\\ &=15.4266\ \mathrm{eV}\\ &\approx\boxed{15.427\ \mathrm{eV}}. \end{aligned} \]

Equivalently, the thermochemical cycle gives

\[ \mathrm{EA}=R_H+\mathrm{DE}(\ce{H2})-\mathrm{DE}(\ce{H2+}) =13.5984+4.4782-2.650. \]

The energy change for electron attachment is therefore \(-15.427\ \mathrm{eV}\).

The solution was checked against the official solution.