CM8001 Application Exercise (5th April)

1. In allergy sufferers, histamine causes runny noses, red eyes, and other symptoms. Here is its structural formula. a. Give the chemical formula for this compound. Ans: C5H9N3 b. Circle the amine functional groups in histamine. Ans:  c. Which part (or parts) of the molecule make the compound water-soluble? Ans:    2. Antihistamines are widely used drugs for treating symptoms of allergies caused by reactions to histamine compounds. This class of drug competes with histamine, occupying receptor sites on cells […]

CM8001 Application Exercise (22nd March)

1. When Styrofoam packing peanuts are immersed in acetone (the primary component in some nail-polish removers) they dissolve. If the acetone is allowed to evaporate, a solid remains. The solid still consists of Styrofoam, but now it is solid and much denser. Explain. (Hint: Remember that Styrofoam is made with foaming agents.) Answer: Acetone dissolves the polymer which enables the gas of the foaming agent to escape. Since the gas has been removed, the polymer collapses on itself and become more dense. […]

CM8001 Application Exercise (15th March)

1. Mammoth Cove National Park in Kentucky is in close proximity to the coal-fired electric utility plants in the Ohio Valley. Noting this, the National Parks Conservation Association(NPCA) reported that this national park had the poorest visibility of any in the country a. What is the connection between coal-fired plants and poor visibility? Coal-fired plants release sulfur dioxide, creating sulfate particles that are responsible  for 60-85% of the poor visibility in the eastern parks. b. The NPCA reported ‘the average […]

CM8001 Application Exercises (22-Feb-17)

Q1) How can you purify your water when you are hiking? Name two or three possibilities. Compare these methods in terms of cost and effectiveness. Are any of these methods similar to those used to purify municipal water supplies? Explain. Ans:There are a few methods to purify water while hiking. The first method is to boil the water. Boiling can kill many microorganism that might cause one to sick. However, it requires time and does not remove chemical contamination. Boiling […]

CM8001 Application Exercises (15-Feb-17)

Q1) Understanding Earth’s energy balance is essential to understanding the issue of global warming. For example, the solar energy striking Earth’s surface averages 168 watts per square meter (W/m^2), but the energy leaving Earth’s surface averages 390 W/m^2. Why isn’t Earth cooling rapidly? Ans: Even though the amount of energy leaving Earth’s surface is more than twice the amount received, Earth does not cool rapidly because the atmosphere retains much of the emitted heat energy.   Q2) Decide and explain whether the statement is correct […]

CM8001 Application Exercises (08-Feb-17)

From personal experience, state whether these processes are endothermic or exothermic. Give a reason for each. A charcoal briquette burns. Water evaporates from your skin. Ice melts. Answer: Exothermic. A charcoal briquette releases heat as it burns. Endothermic. Evaporation requires thermal energy from the surrounding. In this sense, thermal energy from your body helps the water on the skin to evaporate. When water evaporates, it takes away thermal energy from the surface of your skin, and your skin feels cooler. […]