MCAT Topic Focus General Chemistry

Equilibrium and Thermodynamics Passage 1

1. B The balanced reaction for the formation of the acetal is

CH3CHO + HOCH2CH2OH ƒ acetal + H2O,

and the equilibrium expression is simply

Keq = [acetal]·[H2O] / [CH3CHO]·[HOCH2CH2OH].

(Note: Water is not the solvent here; this is a toluene solution.)

2. A The passage suggests that the formation of this acetal is an exothermic process (heat is evolved
during the reaction). Although increasing the temperature of an exothermic reaction will in-
crease the initial reaction rate, the reaction will shift to the left from a thermodynamic perspec-
tive; the product yield will decrease.

3. C Decreasing the concentration of water and the acetal will shift the reaction to the products
(choices A and B). Since H+ is just a catalyst, the removal of H+ from the equilibrated system will
have no effect (choice D). Decreasing the concentration of ethylene glycol will shift the reaction
to the reactants.

4. B There is no net consumption or production of H+ in acetal reactions; H+ is a catalyst. Therefore,

as an acetal is formed, the pH of the solution remains the same.

5. C In general chemistry, we ignore effects of pressure upon equilibria without gas phase constitu-
ents. Therefore, the acetal reaction will not be affected by an increase in pressure.

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