CHE4802/102/0/2025

Tutorial Letter 102/0/2025

Physical Chemistry IV (Theory)

Year module

Department of Chemistry

This tutorial letter contains important information about the CHE4802 module
Assignment 01.

BARCODE
CONTENTS
Page

1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 3
2 Assignments ............................................................................................................................... 4
3 Assignment numbers .................................................................................................................... 5
4 Assignment questions ................................................................................................................... 6

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 CHE4802/102/0/2025

1 Introduction

Dear CHE4802 Student

This tutorial letter contains all the information about the assignment questions and the
submissions of assignments.

• To complete this module, you will be required to submit 4 assignments.

• All information on when and where to submit your assignments will be made available to
you via the myUnisa site for your module.

• Due dates for assignments, as well as the actual assignments will also be available on the
myUnisa site for this module.

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2 Assignments

The closing dates for assignments 1 - 4 are fixed - no extensions can be granted since these
assignments carry a year mark, and the solutions to the assignments are posted immediately after
the closing dates. Assignments reaching us after the closing dates will be awarded 0% which will
seriously affect your year-mark and may affect your exam admission.

Remember:
• Assignment 1 – 4 are all compulsory and counts towards your year mark.

Should you encounter any problems in submitting an assignment on myUnisa, you may phone the
following number: (012) 429-3689 or contact the help line at: myUnisaHelp@[Link]

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3 Assignment numbers
• There are no assignment due dates included in this tutorial letter. However, the
assignment questions which are also included in this tutorial letter will also be made
available on myunisa.

• Assignment due dates will be made available to you on the landing page of myUnisa for
this module. We envisage that the due dates will be available to you upon registration.

• Please start working on your assignments as soon as you register for the module.

• Log on to the myUnisa site for this module to obtain more information on the due dates for
the submission of the assignments.

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4 Assignment questions

ASSIGNMENT 1

Assignment 1 is compulsory, and it counts towards your year mark. Submit this
assignment before or on the due date. You are advised to keep a copy of your answers for this
compulsory assignment.

Assignment 1 is a written assignment and is based on Chapter 7 / Focus 7 (Atkins 11th ED)
or if you have the following editions:
❖ Atkins 8th ED: Chapter 8 & 9
❖ Atkins 9th ED: Chapter 7 & 8
❖ Atkins 10th ED: Chapter 7 & 8

Question 1 (23)

(a) A proper description of electrons, atoms, and molecules requires a different kind of
mechanics, ‘quantum mechanics’. Describe the significant of the Schrödinger
equation and explain all the symbols in relation to quantum mechanics. (8)
(b) Define / describe the following, and provide relevant equations and examples were
necessary: (4)

(i) The de Broglie relation

(c) Neon lamps emit red radiation of wavelength 736 nm. What is the energy separation
of the levels in (i) joules, (ii) kilojoules per mole, and (iii) electronvolts responsible for the
emission? (4)

(d) Briefly discuss the Born interpretation of the wavefunction, and explain all the
quantities. (4)
(e) Define normalization constant, N, and explain how the normalization constant is
obtained, and how the wavefunction is normalised. (3)

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Question 2 (10)

(a) Define / describe the following, and provide relevant equations and examples were
necessary: (6)
(i) An operator
(ii) An eigenvalue equation
(iii) An hermitian operator

(b) Define and describe the significant of the Hamilton operator. (4)

Question 3 (24)

(a) Briefly describe the physical origin of quantization energy for a particle confined to
moving inside a one-dimensional box or on a ring. (4)

(b) Calculate the energy separations in joules, kilojoules per mole, electronvolts, and
reciprocal centimetres between the levels: (8)

(i) n = 3 and n = 1,
(ii) (ii) n = 7 and n = 6
both of an electron in a box of length 1.50 nm.

(c) An electron is confined to a square well of length L. What would be the length of the box
such that the zero-point energy of the electron is equal to its rest mass energy, mec2?
Express your answer in terms of the parameter λC = h/mec, the ‘Compton wavelength’ of
the electron. (5)

(d) Calculate the separation between the two lowest levels for an O2 molecule in a one-
dimensional container of length 5.0 cm. At what value of n does the energy of the molecule
reach 12kT at 300 K, and what is the separation of this level from the one immediately
below? (7)

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Question 4 (25)

(a) Briefly describe the harmonic oscillator when a particle undergoes harmonic motion with
reference to the Schrödinger equation and permitted energy levels. Provide relevant
equations and explain all the quantities and or equations used. (8)

(b) For a harmonic oscillator of effective mass 2.88 × 10−25 kg, the difference in
adjacent energy levels is 3.17 zJ. Calculate the force constant of the oscillator. (4)

(c) Calculate the wavelength of a photon needed to excite a transition between

(d) Calculate the zero-point energy of a harmonic oscillator consisting of a particle of mass
5.16 × 10−26 kg and force constant 285 N m−1. (3)

(e) Assuming that the vibrations of a 35Cl molecule are equivalent to those of a harmonic
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oscillator with a force constant k = 329 N m−1, what is the zero-point energy of vibration of
this molecule? The mass of a 35Cl atom is 34.9688 u. (3)

(f) Consider the wavelength of a photon needed to excite a transition between neighbouring
energy levels of a harmonic oscillator of effective mass equal to that of a proton (1.0078 u)
and force constant 855 N m−1. Calculate the wavelength that would result from doubling
the effective mass of the oscillator. (4)

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Question 5 (18)

(a) Briefly describe the rotational motion which details the electronic structure of atoms and
molecules, in particular a quantum mechanical description of rotation in two and three
dimensions. In your answer, explain or show how the Schrödinger equation is solved
leading to energy levels. Provide relevant equations and explain all the quantities and or
equations used. (8)

(b) The rotation of an 1H127I molecule can be pictured as the orbital motion of an H atom at a
distance 160 pm from a stationary I atom. Both atoms rotate around their common centre
of mass, which is very close to the I nucleus. Suppose that the molecule rotates only in a
plane. Calculate the energy needed to excite the molecule into rotation. What, apart from
0, is the minimum angular momentum of the molecule? (5)

(c) A point mass rotates in a circle with l = 2, Calculate the magnitude of its angular momentum
and the possible projections of the angular momentum on an arbitrary axis. (5)

TOTAL = 100

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UNISA 2025
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