TUTORIAL

Chapter 3

QUESTION 1

Vitamin C or L-ascorbic acid (C6H8O6), is an essential nutrient for humans and certain other
animal species. Vitamin C describes several vitamins that have vitamin C activity in animals,
including ascorbic acid and its salts, and some oxidized forms of the molecule
like dehydroascorbic acid. Vitamin C dissolves in a large tank of pure water at 298 K is in
contact with an organic liquid film thickness 0.5 cm in which the water is insoluble. The
concentration of vitamin C at the interface is 7.8 wt% and at the other side of the film is 12.6 wt
%. The densities are 1.665 g/cm3 and 1.533 g/cm3 respectively. Given MW of Vitamin C = 176
and MW of water = 18. The structure of vitamin C is drawn as in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Molecular structure of vitamin C

a) Compare the diffusivity (m2/s) of vitamin C in pure water at 310 K by using Wilke-Chang
and Stokes-Einstein equation.
(10 Marks)

b) Calculate the steady state flux of vitamin C in (kg/m2h) at 298K using Wilke-Chang
diffusivity value.
(16 Marks)

c) Justify the rate of molecular diffusions in solid, liquid and gas.

(4 Marks)
QUESTION 2

Propionic acid (C2H5COOH) is a carboxylic acid that reacts with water to form 1.0 % of the acid
ionized if initial concentration is 0.1 M acid. Since propionic acid is a weak acid, so the
dissociation is a reversible process at equilibrium (Equation 1). This is different with strong acids
which are considered completely ionized in water. In dilute propionic acid solution, the
concentration of propionic acid at the interface is 7.8 wt% and at the other side of the film is 12.6
wt%. The densities are 1032 kg/m3 and 990 kg/m3, respectively. The structure of propionic acid
is drawn as in Figure 2.

CH3CH2COOH + H2O CH3CH2CO2- + H3O+ (Equation 1)

Figure 2: Molecular structure of Propionic Acid

a) Determine the diffusivity of propionic acid in water at 311 K using Stokes-Einstein

equation.
(5 Marks)

b) Calculate the DAB of C2H5COOH-water solution at 31 °C using temperature corrected

factor based on
i. value obtained in (a)
ii. literature value
(10 Marks)
c) Calculate the rate of diffusion of propionic acid solution in kg mol/m s at 38 oC and 55
2

cm thick under steady state conditions in which the water is insoluble. Make conclusion
for the calculated diffusion rate.
(15 Marks)