\sect{Baruch's A53.} The partition functions of a diatomic molecules AB or A$_2$ (within an ideal gas) has the form \[f_{AB}=g_{AB}(T)(m_Am_B)^{3/2} \qquad \mbox{or} \qquad f_{A_2}=\half g_{A_2}(T)m_A^3\] where $m_A,\,m_B$ are atomic masses and B is an isotope of A; $g_{AB}$ and $g_{A_2}$ are independent of the isotope masses. \begin{itemize} \item[(a)] a) Explain the origin of the factor $\half$. \item[(b)] In the reaction H$_2$+Cl$_2 \leftrightarrows$2HCl the Cl atom has two isotopes Cl$^{35}$ and Cl$^{37}$. Write the relevant four reactions and their laws of mass action. \item[(c)] Show that the relative abundance of Cl$^{35}$ and Cl$^{37}$ in Cl$_2$ is the same as in HCl, i.e. the various densities $n$ satisfy \[ \frac{2n_{Cl_2^{37}}+n_{Cl^{35}Cl^{37}}}{2n_{Cl_2^{35}}+n_{Cl^{35}Cl^{37}}} =\frac{n_{HCl^{37}}}{n_{HCl^{35}}} \]\\ \end{itemize} %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%