ENGG S260F: Introduction to Material Science

Tutorial 2
(9 September 2024)

Question 1
A monel alloy consists of 70 wt% nickel (Ni) and 30 wt% copper (Cu) in mass fraction. What
are the atom percentages of Ni and Cu in this alloy?
Given: The atomic mass of Cu is 63.54 g/mol, and the atomic mass of Ni is 58.69 g/mol.
Assume the mass of alloy is 100 g.
The masses of Ni and Cu are, respectively, 100 × 0.7 = 70 g and 100 × 0.3 = 30 g.
The numbers of mole of Ni and Cu atoms are, respectively, 70/58.69 = 1.19 mol and 30/63.54 =
0.472 mol.
The percentages of Ni and Cu are, respectively, 1.19/(1.19 + 0.472) × 100% = 71.6% and
0.472/(1.19 + 0.472) × 100% = 28.4%.

Question 2
A 100 g of brass alloy containing 60.0 wt% copper (Cu) and 40.0 wt% zinc (Zn). Given that
the molar mass of Cu and Zn are 63.54 g/mol and 65.39 g/mol, respectively. Calculate the
total number of Cu and Zn atoms in the brass alloy.
The masses of Cu and Zn are, respectively, 100 × 0.6 = 60 g and 100 × 0.4 = 40 g.
The numbers of mole of Cu and Zn are, respectively, 60/63.54 = 0.944 mol and 40/65.39 = 0.612
mol.
The total number of Cu and Zn atoms in the alloy is (0.944 + 0.612) × (6.022 × 1023) = 9.37 × 1023
atoms.

Question 3
Calculate the number of atoms of each element in 100 g intermetallic compound that consists
of 15.68 wt% magnesium (Mg) and 84.32 wt% aluminum (Al).
Given: The atomic mass of Mg: 24.31 g/mol, and the atomic mass of Al is 26.98 g/mol
The masses of Mg and Al are, respectively, 100 × 0.1568 = 15.68 g and 100 × 0.8432 = 84.32 g.
The numbers of mole of Mg and Al are, respectively, 15.68/24.31 = 0.645 mol and 84.32/26.98 =
3.13 mol.
The number of atoms of Mg and Al are, respectively, 0.645 × (6.022 × 1023) = 3.88 × 1023 atoms
and 3.13 × (6.022 × 1023) = 1.88 × 1024 atoms.

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Question 4
Each quarter produced by the US mint is made up of a copper and nickel alloy. In each coin,
there is 0.00740 moles of Ni and 0.0886 moles of copper. Given that the atomic mass for
copper and nickel are 63.55 amu and 58.69 amu respectively.
a) What is the total mass of a quarter?
b) What percentage of the mass of a quarter is nickel and what percentage is copper?
a) Masses of Ni and Cu are, respectively, 0.0074 × 58.69 = 0.434 g and 0.0886 × 63.55 = 5.63 g.
The total mass is 0.434 + 5.63 = 6.06 g.
b) The percentages of Ni and Cu are, respectively, 0.434/(0.434 + 5.63) × 100% = 7.16% and
5.63 /(0.434 + 5.63) × 100% = 92.8%.

Question 5
Determine the chemical formula of an intermetallic compound magnesium (Mg) and
aluminum (Al) MgxAly that consists of 15.68 wt% Mg and 84.32 wt% Al. Given that the
molar mass of magnesium and aluminum are 24.31 g/mol and 26.98 g/mol, respectively.
Values of x and y should be integer.
Assume the mass of alloy is 100 g.
The masses of Mg and Al are, respectively, 100 × 0.1568 = 15.68 g and 100 × 0.8432 = 84.32 g.
The numbers of mole of Mg and Al are, respectively, 15.68/24.31 = 0.645 mol and 84.32/26.98 =
3.13 mol.
The mole fractions of Mg and Al are, respectively, 0.645/(0.645 + 3.13) = 0. 171 and 0.645/(0.645
+ 3.13) = 0.829.
The simplest integer of x and y are, respectively, 0.171/0.171 = 1 and 0.829/0.171 ≈ 5.
The chemical formula is MgAl5.

Question 6
A hydrogen atom exists with its electron in the n = 5 state. The electron undergoes a
transition to the n = 3 state.
a) Calculate the energy (in joule) of the photon emitted.
b) Calculate its frequency.
c) Calculate its wavelength.
a) The energy is ΔE = E3 – E5 = -13.6 (1/32 – 1/52) = -0.967 eV.
In joule, the energy is 0.967 × (1.602 × 10-19) = 1.55 × 10-19 J (the minus sign is ignored here).
b) Its frequency is ν = ΔE/h = 1.55 × 10-19/(6.626 × 10-34) = 2.34 × 1014 Hz.
c) Its wavelength is λ = c/ν = (3 × 108)/(2.34 × 1014) = 1282 nm.

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Question 7
A hydrogen atom exists with its electron in the n = 5 state. The electron undergoes a
transition to the n = 2 state.
a) Calculate the energy (in joule) of the photon emitted.
b) Calculate its frequency.
c) Calculate its wavelength.
a) The energy is ΔE = E2 – E5 = -13.6 (1/22 – 1/52) = -2.86 eV.
In joule, the energy is 2.86 × (1.602 × 10-19) = 4.58 × 10-19 J (the minus sign is ignored here).
b) Its frequency is ν = ΔE/h = 4.58 × 10-19/(6.626 × 10-34) = 6.90 × 1014 Hz.
c) Its wavelength is λ = c/ν = (3 × 108)/(6.90 × 1014) = 434 nm.

Question 8
A hydrogen atom exists with its electron in the n = 4 state. The electron undergoes a
transition to the n = 3 state. Calculate:
a) the energy of the photon emitted,
b) its frequency, and
c) its wavelength in nanometres (nm).
a) The energy is ΔE = E3 – E4 = -13.6 (1/32 – 1/42) = -0.661 eV.
In joule, the energy is 0.661 × (1.602 × 10-19) = 1.06 × 10-19 J (the minus sign is ignored here).
b) Its frequency is ν = ΔE/h = 1.06 × 10-19/(6.626 × 10-34) = 1.60 × 1014 Hz.
c) Its wavelength is λ = c/ν = (3 × 108)/(1.60 × 1014) = 1877 nm.

Question 9
For the principal quantum number n of value 4, determine all other possible quantum
numbers for l and m.
l = 0, 1, 2, 3
for l = 0, m = 0
for l = 1, m = -1, 0, 1
for l = 2, m = -2, -1, 0, 1, 2
for l = 3, m = -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3

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Question 10
For each pair of n and l given below, give the sublevel name, possible values of m, and the
corresponding number of orbitals.
a) n = 1, l =0
b) n = 2, l =1
c) n = 3, l =2
d) n = 4, l =3
a) 1s m=0 1 orbital
b) 2p m = -1, 0 1 3 orbitals
c) 3d m = -2, -1, 0, 1, 2 5 orbitals
d) 4f m = -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3 7 orbitals

Question 11
Briefly explain the Pauli-exclusion Principle.
No two electrons in the same atom can have identical values for all four of their quantum numbers.

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