chemical equilibrium Flashcards
chemical equilibrium
a state of dynamic balance where rate of forward reaction equals rate of the reverse reaction
Le Chatelier’s Principle
- if a stress is applied to a system at equilibrium
- system readjusts to oppose stress applied
Le Chatelier’s Principle and gases
Le Châtelier’s Principle predicts that in an all-gaseous reaction, an increase in pressure will favour the reaction which takes place with a reduction in volume
Equilibrium constant
formula in hardback
Kc
[ ] means concentration in moles per litre
- if greater than 1, products are favoured. The larger the value of Kc, the greater is the extent to which equilibrium is pushed towards products
- if less than 1, reactants are favoured. Low value of Kc - only small fraction of reactants converted to products
Le Chatelier and industry
ammonia and haber process
sulfuric acid and contact process
ammonia and haber process
predict max yield at high pressure / low temperature
reality = 200 atm and 500°C
sulfuric acid and contact process
predict max yield at high pressure / low temperature
reality = one atm and 450°C
large Kc
equilibrium far to right
lots of product produced
Small Kc
equilibrium far to left
v little product formed
2Mg + O₂ –> 2MgO
- 2 Mg atoms react with one O₂ molecule to form 2 molecules of magnesium oxide
- v hard to turn MgO back to magnesium and oxygen
- reaction “goes to completion”
N₂ + 3H₂ –> 2NH₃
- not all reactions go to completion
- some reactions are ‘reversible’
- some of ammonia formed decomposes and becomes nitrogen and hydrogen again
- reaction takes place both in forward and backward reactions
chemical equilibrium
a balance where the rate of the forward reaction is equal to the rate of the backwards reaction
dynamic equilibrium
equilibrium is constantly ‘moving’
stress
stress is a change in reaction conditions
- concentration of reactants/products
- temperature
- pressure
- catalyst
if we change conditions of reaction at equilibrium, reaction readjusts itself to relieve stress
pressure
- if there are same no. of molecules on both sides of reaction, change in pressure will have no effect on equilibrium
- pressure only has effect on gaseous reactions
temperature
- forward reaction is exothermic ~(produced heat)
- when temp of reaction is changed, reaction shifts itself to relieve stress
concentration
- changing conc of one of the reactants shifts reaction to right (forwards) to relieve stress
- changing conc of product shifts reaction to left (backwards) to relieve stress
stresses that can be applied
pressure increased/decreased
temperature increased/decreased
concentration of ‘x’ increased/decreased
system’s response - pressure increased
equilibrium shifts to the side with the lower total number of molecules
system’s response - pressure decreased
equilibrium shifts to the side with the higher total number of molecules
system’s response - temperature increased
endothermic reaction is favoured
system’s response - temperature decreased
exothermic reaction is favoured
system’s response - concentration of ‘X’ is increased
reaction that removes ‘X’ is favoured
system’s response - concentration of ‘X’ is decreased
reaction that forms ‘X’ is favoured
haber process
N₂ + 3H₂ 2NH₃
- iron catalyst
- forward reaction is exothermic
- made at IFI plant in Cobh, Cork
haber process - pressure
- 4 molecules on left, 2 on right
- increase pressure will favour production of ammonia
- keeping pressure high is expensive
- 200 atmospheres - most cost effective + safe
haber process - temperature
- forward reaction in exothermic
- lowering temp will favour production of ammonia
- too slow at v low temps
- 500°C temperature
N₂ + 3H₂ 2NH₃
chemical equilibrium
- at beginning, conc of ammonia is 0
- as reaction proceeds, conc of N₂ + H₂ decreases, conc of NH₃ increases
- when rate of production of NH₃ equals its rate of decomposition, reaction has reached equilibrium
stoichiometry - empirical formula
gives the simplest whole number ratio of the numbers of the different atoms present in the molecule
stoichiometry - molecular formula
simple multiple of the empirical formula
effect of increasing pressure on equilibrium mixture
higher pressure favours fewer moles
effect of increasing temperature on equilibrium mixture
favours endothermic reaction according to Le Chatelier’s Principle