Solving
General Chemistry
Problems
FIFTH EDITION
R. Nelson Smith
Pomona College
Conway Pierce
Late of University of California Riverside
W. H. FREEMAN AND COMPANY
San Francisco
,Sponsoring Editor: Peter Renz
Project Editor: Nancy Flight
Manuscript Editor: Larry McCombs
Designer: Marie Carluccio
Production Coordinator: William Murdock
Illustration Coordinator: Cheryl Nufer
Artist: John Waller
Compositor: Bi-Comp, Inc.
Printer and Binder: The Maple-Vail Book Manufacturing Group
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Smith, Robert Nelson, 1916-
Solving general chemistry problems.
First-4th ed. by C. Pierce and R. N. Smith published
under title: General chemistry workbook.
Includes index.
1. Chemistry—Problems, exercises, etc. I. Pierce,
Willis Conway, 1895- joint author. II. Pierce,
Willis Conway, 1895- General chemistry workbook.
III. Title.
QD42.S556 1980 540'.76 79-23677
ISBN 0-7167-1117-6
Copyright © 1955, 1958, 1965, 1971, 1980 by W. H. Freeman
and Company
No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical,
photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a
phonographic recording, nor may it be stored in a retrieval
system, transmitted, or otherwise copied for public or private
use, without written permission from the publisher.
Printed in the United States of America
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
, Contents
Preface vu
1 Studying and Thinking About Problems 1
2 Number Notations, Arithmetical Operations,
and Calculators 5
3 Use of Dimensions 28
4 Units of Scientific Measurements 33
5 Reliability of Measurements 43
6 Graphical Representation 64
7 Density and Buoyancy 85
8 Formulas and Nomenclature 102
9 Sizes and Shapes of Molecules 113
10 Stoichiometry I
Calculations Based on Formulas 144
11 Gases 156
12 Stoichiometry II
Calculations Based on Chemical Equations 173
, Vl Contents
13 Stoichiometry III
Calculations Based on Concentrations of Solutions 188
14 Thermochemistry 205
15 Chemical Kinetics 228
16 Chemical Equilibrium in Gases 254
17 Electrochemistry I Batteries and Free Energy 269
18 Electrochemistry II Balancing Equations 291
19 Electrochemistry III Electrolysis 308
20 Stoichiometry IV Equivalent Weight and Normality 318
21 Colligative Properties 328
22 Hydrogen Ion Concentration and pH 340
23 Acid-Base Equilibria 349
24 Solubility Product and Precipitation 372
25 Complex Ions 389
26 Nuclear Chemistry 400
27 Reactions Prediction and Synthesis 411
Answers to Problems of the A Groups 427
Index 465
General Chemistry
Problems
FIFTH EDITION
R. Nelson Smith
Pomona College
Conway Pierce
Late of University of California Riverside
W. H. FREEMAN AND COMPANY
San Francisco
,Sponsoring Editor: Peter Renz
Project Editor: Nancy Flight
Manuscript Editor: Larry McCombs
Designer: Marie Carluccio
Production Coordinator: William Murdock
Illustration Coordinator: Cheryl Nufer
Artist: John Waller
Compositor: Bi-Comp, Inc.
Printer and Binder: The Maple-Vail Book Manufacturing Group
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Smith, Robert Nelson, 1916-
Solving general chemistry problems.
First-4th ed. by C. Pierce and R. N. Smith published
under title: General chemistry workbook.
Includes index.
1. Chemistry—Problems, exercises, etc. I. Pierce,
Willis Conway, 1895- joint author. II. Pierce,
Willis Conway, 1895- General chemistry workbook.
III. Title.
QD42.S556 1980 540'.76 79-23677
ISBN 0-7167-1117-6
Copyright © 1955, 1958, 1965, 1971, 1980 by W. H. Freeman
and Company
No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical,
photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a
phonographic recording, nor may it be stored in a retrieval
system, transmitted, or otherwise copied for public or private
use, without written permission from the publisher.
Printed in the United States of America
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
, Contents
Preface vu
1 Studying and Thinking About Problems 1
2 Number Notations, Arithmetical Operations,
and Calculators 5
3 Use of Dimensions 28
4 Units of Scientific Measurements 33
5 Reliability of Measurements 43
6 Graphical Representation 64
7 Density and Buoyancy 85
8 Formulas and Nomenclature 102
9 Sizes and Shapes of Molecules 113
10 Stoichiometry I
Calculations Based on Formulas 144
11 Gases 156
12 Stoichiometry II
Calculations Based on Chemical Equations 173
, Vl Contents
13 Stoichiometry III
Calculations Based on Concentrations of Solutions 188
14 Thermochemistry 205
15 Chemical Kinetics 228
16 Chemical Equilibrium in Gases 254
17 Electrochemistry I Batteries and Free Energy 269
18 Electrochemistry II Balancing Equations 291
19 Electrochemistry III Electrolysis 308
20 Stoichiometry IV Equivalent Weight and Normality 318
21 Colligative Properties 328
22 Hydrogen Ion Concentration and pH 340
23 Acid-Base Equilibria 349
24 Solubility Product and Precipitation 372
25 Complex Ions 389
26 Nuclear Chemistry 400
27 Reactions Prediction and Synthesis 411
Answers to Problems of the A Groups 427
Index 465
