OVERVIEW
This calculator balances valid chemical equations and then provides a spread
sheet that has encoded in it important chemistry relationships. The
instructions here are for the PRO version of the calculator and thus there
are a few discrepancies with the demo version.
After reading the general information, it is suggested that you just pick out
an example that is closest to the problem you want to solve and study it.
Notation:
Normally an equation
will have integers following elements or closed parenthesis as if they were
subscripts. A number and/or sign enclosed in square brackets indicate charge
as if they were superscripts. Thus we could enter the formula:
Bi(OH)3
+ SnO2[2-] => SnO3[2-] + Bi + H2O
and click on the SUBMIT button for it
to be balanced:
2 Bi(OH)3 + 3 SnO2[2-] => 3 SnO3[2-] + 2 Bi + 3 H2O
The program removes all spaces when it reads a line so they just make the
line more readable when used.
Special Features:
If the <=> symbol is used instead of the => symbol, it
goes into a special mode to treat reversable reactions.
As an added
function for learning how to balance, you may enter a chemical
equation followed by a ? and it will verify the balance, element by element.
You may adjust the coefficients, even using fractions, until a balance is
achieved.
Another feature is entering the symbol % at the end of the formula which causes
the calculator to deal with partial pressures. You indicate when a gas is in
a container with other gases by typing Y in the PP Gas column. Then you
describe values for the entire container in the PP Sum row.
Another feature is entering the symbol * at the end of the formula which causes
the calculator to use Van der Waal's gas equation. You will need to supply
values for the a and b constants from an external table. Note if a=0 and b=0 the
equation simply behaves like an ideal gas.
Follow Up Calculations:
After the calculator balances the equation, all you
need do is supply essential data values for your problem and hit the STEPPER (CALCULATE)
button. The spread sheet will perform and display the results of all
computations that are possible with the given input data and ten
mathematical equations. The ten equations will be combined and rearranged
in any way possible to produce a result.
In the case of reversable
reactions, the operation is slightly more limited but still very powerful.
Note On Troubleshooting:
If the spread sheet
indicates a data entry conflict, that means an equation took supplied data
and came up with a unequate condition. One possible prevention for that
problem is to supply one input value at a time and hit STEPPER (CALCULATE)
after each
value entered. Don't try to modify values that have already been computed.
Another possible cause of a conflict is when a computed value tries to go
outside its range such as a temperature below absolute zero or a negative
pressure.
Multiple Calculations:
If you perform an analysis and want to
do another computation with slightly different input data, hit the UNDO
button after you are finished reading your answers and it will return to the
last entered input state. You may change that data and hit STEPPER (CALCULATE) again.
Hitting UNDO repeatedly will continue to step backwards until you can enter
a new chemical equation.
Ease Of Use:
The buttons are color
coded. You may only hit blue buttons. Red buttons indicate which spreadsheet
is visible and green buttons are inactive.
Special Uses:
Note that you need not always enter a chemical equation for
analysis. You may enter a single chemical formula such as H2SO4 and the
spread sheet will treat it as an isolated chemical. You may also want to do
a computation for combined partial pressure (PP) gases. As an example, for
Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Argon, enter O2+N2+Ar% and hit the SUBMIT button.
Dimensions Used:
One note about dimensions: Molarity, M, is expressed
as (moles/liter) by this program. Molar Mass or Molecular Weight is
expressed as (grams/mole). Density is expressed as (grams/liter). The volume
of liters usually refers to the amount of a solvent that a chemical has been
disolved into. It may also refer to a gas or a pure liquid. You should
understand in the case of a solution that grams
refers to the mass of the chemical disolved in the solvent. Thus
(grams/liter) does not really imply density unless you are working with a
pure solid, pure liquid, or pure gas.
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