Chemistry Midterms

In an odd round of coincidence, my thermodynamics midterm was returned two hours before my (second) general chemistry midterm took place.

The (multiple choice) general chemistry midterm did not go well...there were two problems that I believe had no correct answers. (As an example: one asked for the electroneutrality equation of 0.10 M NaHN₂O₄...but the choices given had no sodium cation involved in any of the equations). As the class size was enormous, there was no opportunity to ask about the problems. I'll post them when I get my midterm results back, since my memory of them is shaky at best. Of course, by then I might realize that I did something phenomenally stupid.

The thermodynamics midterm had only four problems (albeit with numerous parts), but was out of an extravagant 200. Every single midterm in the class was re-marked because the professor felt merciful, for which I am grateful. Mindless mistake: a problem asked for the TV (um, "temperature-volume") curve of an ideal-gas thermodynamical cycle...I drew its PV curve. Oops.

Random aside: Maxwell constructions (for real gases, to get that part where the PV curve is horizontal) were interesting. Who'd have thought of doing that? (Aside from Maxwell of course...)

More randomness: Finding the definite integral of [sin(x)]/x from 0 to infinity is not easy (doable due to Spivak's numerous hints), but the ways of finding the definite integral of e^(-x^2) from 0 to infinity are evil, each and every one! For people who care, the former evaluates to pi/2, and the latter evaluates to sqrt(pi)/2.