Past exam of the chemistry A course of the University of Cambridge / 2021 / Paper 2 / A7 / b

For the same atoms in a three-dimensional volume $V$, the one-atom translational partition function is $q_{\mathrm{trans}}^{(3)}=V/{\Lambda }^3$. Comparing the same $N$ atoms at the same temperature cancels the common $N!$ in their canonical partition functions. Therefore the molar adsorption confinement free energy, with the sign defined as adsorbed minus free, isThe logarithm is dimensionless: $V/\sigma$ and $\Lambda$ are both lengths. For a macroscopic gas depth $V/\sigma \gg \Lambda$, confinement raises the translational Helmholtz free energy. Equivalently, the translational state count is reduced by a factor $\sigma \Lambda /V$ per atom. The question supplies neither a volume nor an adsorption binding energy, so this answer is symbolic and describes the confinement cost, not a numerical net adsorption free energy.

For example, a binding energy $D>0$ per atom would supply a separate $-N_{\mathrm{A}}D$ to $\Delta F_m$, together with any normal-motion internal contribution retained by a more detailed model. Adsorption can then be favourable despite the loss of free translational phase space. Merely calling the change a loss must not reverse the sign of the explicitly defined $F_{\mathrm{ads}}-F_{\mathrm{gas}}$.