📝 🔬 Python Lists

🧪 Lists in Python

Definition: Lists are ordered collections of items, defined using square brackets []. They can store:

• Reaction parameters (e.g., temperature, pressure)

• Concentrations of species in a reactor

• Equipment states in a process

Example:

# List of reactor temperatures in Celsius
temperatures = [350, 400, 450, 500]
print(temperatures)

[350, 400, 450, 500]

📋 Key Features of Lists

1. Ordered: Items retain the sequence in which they are added.

2. Mutable: You can change, add, or remove items.

Example: Modifying a List

# Adding a new temperature
temperatures.append(550)
print(temperatures)

[350, 400, 450, 500, 550]

⚗️ Tuples in Python

Definition: Tuples are immutable collections, defined using parentheses (). Ideal for:

• Fixed equipment configurations (e.g., pipe diameters)

• Constant reaction parameters (e.g., activation energy, rate constants)

Example:

# Tuple of reaction rate constants
rate_constants = (1.2, 3.4, 2.1)
print(rate_constants)

(1.2, 3.4, 2.1)

🔄 Lists vs Tuples

Feature	Lists ([])	Tuples (())
Mutability	Mutable (can change)	Immutable (cannot change)
Use Cases	Dynamic data (e.g., logs)	Fixed data (e.g., configs)

Example

# Changing a list
temperatures[0] = 360
print(temperatures)

# Tuples are immutable
# rate_constants[0] = 2.0  # This will raise an error

[360, 400, 450, 500, 550]