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- Using and installing the program Equil
-
- Purpose of the Program:
- Equilibrium can be a difficult subject because it is hard to
- visualize what is occurring at the molecular level as a reversible
- reaction at equilibrium proceeds. This program allows the user to
- view equilibrium while it is being achieved. Le Chatelier's
- principle can also be examined by changing the temperature or
- concentration of the reaction mixture. A lab which can be used
- with the program is included with the registered copy.
-
- Installing Equil on your hard drive:
- To install equil on your hard drive start windows and
- click on File in the upper left hand corner of Program Manager.
- Choose Run from the file menu and type and enter path\install where
- path is the location of the equil files. For example, if the files
- are on the root directory of A drive you would enter A:\install.
- Install will create a directory called C:\equil, copy all of the
- appropriate files, and create the necessary icons.
-
- Using the Program:
- Click on the icon to start Equil and select New from the
- Reaction menu. Enter the number of molecules of each substance
- desired into the boxes provided. Use the mouse or Tab key to move
- around the dialog box. You may have no more that a total of 80
- molecules. The reaction will then start.
- In the upper left hand corner of the screen you will find the
- reaction vessel. The molecules of A , B , and X will move at
- various speeds in a manner similar to that which would occur at the
- molecular level during an actual chemical reaction. The
- equilibrium being illustrated is:
- A(g) + B(g) <-> 2 X(g)
- This reaction is similar in mechanism to the classic equilibrium
- example which occurs between hydrogen and iodine vapor to produce
- gaseous hydrogen iodide. When molecules of A and B collide they
- may react to form, two X molecules. (Not all collisions result in
- a reaction). When two X molecules collide they may form an A and
- a B molecule.
- The actual number of molecules of each species can be found
- on a table below the reaction vessel. In the upper right hand
- corner a table including the elapsed time since the beginning of
- the reaction and the average number of A, B, and X molecules is
- presented. When doing calculations involving equilibrium constants
- the average number of molecules gives a more statistically
- consistent result form student to student. Constants will not
- match exactly (statistics!!) , but if a class average of all
- constants is taken the correlation is very consistent.
- In the lower right hand corner of the screen there is a graph
- which relates the average number of molecules present vs. time.
- The graph shows the student a very clear representation of what is
- happening as equilibrium is established. Every 100 seconds the
- graph will be refreshed.
-
- Temperature Item:
- Clicking on this item will allow the user to change the
- temperature of the reaction vessel. The reaction can be run at
- 25°C or 35°C. The starting temperature for any new reaction is
- 25°C. The temperature may be changed to 35°C by selecting the
- desired temperature from the dialog box. The time will be reset
- to zero and the user can see which way the equilibrium will shift
- (Le Chatelier's principle) when the temperature is changed. This
- will give an indication as to whether the reaction is endothermic
- (absorbs heat) or exothermic (evolves heat). The temperature can
- be reset to 25°C if desired. This option does not work with the
- unregistered version of the program. See register.doc for more
- information.
-
- Concentration Item:
- By clicking on Concentration the user can change the number
- of molecules of A, B, and/ or C. The time will be reset to 0 and
- a new graph will be started. Changing the number of molecules will
- allow the user to see Le Chatelier's principle at the molecular
- level. There can be no more than 80 total molecules. This option
- does not work with the unregistered version of the program. See
- register.doc for more information.
-
- Pause Item:
- Clicking on this item freeze the action so that data and
- observations can be made. The reaction may be restarted by using
- restart . This option does not work with the unregistered version.
- See register.doc for more information.
-
- Restart Item:
- This item will restart a reaction that has been stopped with
- pause. This option does not work with the unregistered version.
- See register.doc for more information.
-
- Exiting the program:
- To quit the program select this menu item or press Alt-x.
-
- Help can be obtained at any time by clicking on the Help Menu item.
-
- If you have any problems my E-Mail address is
- ALLENT@mail.firn.edu
-
- Timothy J. Allen
-
- DISCLAIMER
- ----------
-
- THE EQUIL PROGRAM IS SOLD "AS IS" AND WITHOUT
- WARRANTIES AS TO PERFORMANCE OR ANY OTHER WARRANTIES WHETHER
- EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. BECAUSE OF THE VARIOUS HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
- ENVIRONMENTS INTO WHICH THIS PROGRAM MAY BE PUT, NO WARRANTY OF
- FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IS OFFERED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
- AUTHOR OF THIS SOFTWARE BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, OR
- CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THE THIS PROGRAM.
- IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS' LIABILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES EVER
- EXCEED THE PRICE PAID FOR THE LICENSE TO USE THE SOFTWARE,
- REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF CLAIM. THE PERSON USING THE SOFTWARE
- BEARS ALL RISKS AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE.
- THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
- THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
-