October 1, 2015 (Vol. 35, No. 17)
Rating:
Strong Points: Many parameters, easy-to-use
Weak Points: Limited number of materials in basic app
Platform:
iPad/iPhone
Cost:
$1.99
Summary:
I’ve covered a number of scientific calculators, but StateCalc HD is not your average calculator. Instead, this nifty app performs thermodynamic calculations and displays the corresponding state diagrams. (That is, the app will calculate the state—such as solid or liquid—in which a specified chemical exists, given user-specified parameters.) The calculator computes the state based on two parameters—either temperature or pressure plus one of the following: specific volume, internal energy, enthalpy, entropy, or quality. Upon calculation, the app displays a number of properties for the solution such as thermal conductivity and dynamic viscosity. The thermodynamic state plots are displayed at the bottom of the screen, and these images can be saved to the camera roll. Six materials are included in the basic app for calculations, including ammonia, carbon dioxide, and water.
