How to Calculate Mole Fractions and Molar Volume in a Thermodynamic System?

In summary, the problem involves a thermodynamic system containing 0.1 kg of NaCl, 0.15 kg of sugar, and 0.5 kg of water. The volume of the system is 0.55 x 10^-3 m^3. The mole numbers and mole fractions of each component are calculated to be 0.057 and 18 x 10^-6 m^3/mole, respectively. These values were found by using the relative mole fraction and molar volume equations, and by knowing the molar mass of each substance.
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Homework Statement


This question is problem 1.3.1 from Herbert Callen's textbook in Thermodynamics, second edition.

One tenth of a kilogram of NaCl and 0.15 kg of sugar ($C_{12} H_{22}O_{11}$ are dissolved in 0.5 Kg of pure water. The volume of the resultant thermodynamic system is $0.55\times 10^{-3}m^3$. What are the mole numbers of the three components of the system? What are the mole fractions? What is the molar volume of the system?
In the answers I have the following: Mole fraction of NaCl = 0.057, molar volume =$18\times 10^{-6} m^3/mole$.

How did they arrive at these answers? did they multiplied the ratios with Avogadro's number?

Homework Equations


Relative mole fraction is given by: [tex]N_k/\sum_{j=1}^r N_j[/tex] if we have a mixture of $r$ substances, where this is defined as the molar fraction;
Molar volume is defined as [tex]V/\sum_{k=1}^r N_k[/tex].

The Attempt at a Solution


How do extract the moles of each substance here?

It's not written in the text.
 
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  • #2
If you are attacking thermodynamics you should already know how to convert between masses and numbers of moles, this is GenChem101 which is prerequisite.

Do you know what the molar mass is?
 
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  • #3
I have taken undergraduate thermal physics years ago, so I might have forgotten some stuff.

Anyhow, I solved it, thanks; I checked molar mass in wiki and it solved my problem.
 

1. What is mole fraction?

Mole fraction is a measure of the amount of a particular component in a mixture, expressed as the ratio of the number of moles of that component to the total number of moles in the mixture.

2. How is mole fraction calculated?

Mole fraction is calculated by dividing the number of moles of a particular component by the total number of moles in the mixture. This value is then typically multiplied by 100 to express it as a percentage.

3. Why is mole fraction important?

Mole fraction is important because it allows scientists to accurately determine the concentration of a particular component in a mixture. It is also used in various calculations, such as determining partial pressures in gas mixtures.

4. Can mole fraction be greater than 1?

No, mole fraction cannot be greater than 1. This would indicate that there are more moles of a particular component than there are total moles in the mixture, which is not possible.

5. How is mole fraction different from mass fraction?

Mole fraction is a measure of the number of moles of a component in a mixture, while mass fraction is a measure of the mass of a component in a mixture. Mole fraction takes into account the molecular weight of each component, while mass fraction does not.

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