CHEMICAL

EQUILIBRIUM
Reaction Quotient, Q
•Is a measure of the relative amounts of
products and reactants during a reaction
at a particular point in time.
•The form of expression for reaction
quotient is the same as that for
equilibrium constant
Predicting the Direction of a
Reaction
•If Q < K, the reaction proceeds from left
to right or in forward direction.
•As the product concentration increases,
those of the reactant decreases, thus
increasing the value of Q, until
eventually equilibrium is attained.
Predicting the Direction of a
Reaction
•If Q > K, the reaction proceeds from
right to left or in reverse direction.
•As the reactant concentration increases,
and the product decreases, thus lowering
the value of Q, until eventually
equilibrium is attained.
Predicting the Direction of a
Reaction
•If Q = K, the reaction is already at
equilibrium.
•The amounts of reactants and products
remain constant.
•No particular direction is favored.
Sample Problem 1
Predict the direction in which reaction
will take place to attain equilibrium, if the
starting partial pressures are 3.0 atm for
NO2 and 1.5 atm for N2O4, at 100°C for
the following system,
N2O4 (g) ↔ 2NO2 (g) Kp = 11
Sample Problem 2
In an evacuated 3.0L flask, 0.35 mol SO2,
0.25 mol Cl2, and 0.30 mol SO2Cl2 are
combined and heated to 100°C. What is
the value of Q and in which direction will
the reaction proceed in order to
established equilibrium?
SO2Cl2 (g) ↔ SO2 (g) + Cl2 (g) Kc = 0.078
Activity
1. Predict the direction toward which the
reaction will proceed to attain
equilibrium if a mixture of 2.0 mol H2,
1.0 mol N2, and 2.5 mol NH3 are placed
in a 1.0 L container at 472°C.
N2 (g) + 3H2 (g) ↔ 2NH3 (g) Kc = 0.105
Activity
2. A vertical vessel is filled with SO3 at a partial
pressure of 0.10 atm together with O2 and SO2,
both of which are at a partial pressure of 0.20 atm.
The Kp for the oxidation of SO2 is equal to 0.15 at
900K. Is the reaction at equilibrium? If not, which
way will the reaction proceed to reach equilibrium?
2SO2 (g) + O2 (g) ↔ 2SO3 (g) Kp = 0.15
Significance of Equilibrium
Constant
• A large K value (K>>1) – equilibrium position lies
more to the right, thus product favored.
• If K value is small (K<<1) – equilibrium position
lies to the left, thus reactant favored.
• Kp = Kc (RT)Δn
• R = 0.08205 L-atm/mol-K
Sample Problem 1
Calculate Kc and predict the extent of the reaction
represented by the following equation,
2SO2 (g) + O2 (g) ↔ 2SO3 (g)
Experimental data at 853°C, shows that the
equilibrium concentrations are as follows:
[SO2] = 3.6 x 10-3 M
[O2] = 6.1 x 10-4 M
[SO3] = 1.0 x 10-2 M
Sample Problem 2
The components of an equilibrium mixture at 27°C
for the reaction,
H2 (g) + I2 (g) ↔ 2HI (g)
pH2 = 0.15 atm
pI2 = 0.15 atm
pHI = 0.5 atm
Calculate Kp and Kc
Activity
1. Given the K values at 25°C, predict the extent of
each reaction by indicating whether it is reactant-
favored or product-favored.
a. N2 (g) + 3H2 (g) ↔ 2NH3 (g) K = 3.5 x 108
b. CaCO3 (s) ↔ Ca+2 (aq) + CO3-2 (aq) K = 3.8 x 10-9
c. S (s) + O2 (g) ↔ SO2 (g) K = 4.2 x 1052
d. AgCl (s) ↔ Ag+1 (aq) + Cl-1 (aq) K = 10-10
Activity
2. A quantity of PCl5 was heated in a 10L vessel at
250°C. At equilibrium, the mixture contains 0.21
mol PCl5, 0.32 mol PCl3, and 0.32 mol Cl2.
a. Calculate the equilibrium constant Kc for the
dissociation of PCl5 at 250°C given the equation,
PCl5 (g) ↔ PCl3 (g) + Cl2 (g)
b. If the information is sufficient, calculate Kp.
Activity
3. Calculate Kc for the reaction,
N2 (g) + 3H2 (g) ↔ 2NH3 (g)
at 500°C, if Kp is 1.5 x 10-5 at this temperature.
4. At 100°C, Kc = 0.078 for the following reaction
SO2Cl2 (g) ↔ SO2 (g) + Cl2 (g)
The equilibrium concentration of SO2Cl2 is 0.108M
while that of SO2 is 0.052M. What is the
concentration of Cl2?
Activity
5. At 900K, Kp = 0.345 for the following reaction,
2SO2 (g) + O2 (g) ↔ 2SO3 (g)
In the equilibrium mixture, the partial pressure of
SO2 is 0.165 atm while that of O2 is 0.755 atm.
Calculate the equilibrium partial pressure of SO3 in
the mixture.