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Ch.15 - Chemical Equilibrium
Brown - Chemistry: The Central Science 15th Edition
Brown15th EditionChemistry: The Central ScienceISBN: 9780137542970Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksBrown 15th EditionCh.15 - Chemical EquilibriumProblem 74a
Chapter 15, Problem 74a

When 2.00 mol of SO2Cl2 is placed in a 2.00-L flask at 303 K, 56% of the SO2Cl2 decomposes to SO2 and Cl2: SO2Cl2(g) ⇌ SO2(g) + Cl2(g) (a) Calculate Kc for this reaction at this temperature.

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1
Determine the initial concentration of SO2Cl2 by dividing the number of moles by the volume of the flask. This gives the initial concentration in moles per liter.
Calculate the change in concentration of SO2Cl2 due to decomposition. Since 56% decomposes, multiply the initial concentration by 0.56 to find the amount that decomposed.
Write the expression for the equilibrium constant, Kc, for the reaction: Kc = \( \frac{[SO_2][Cl_2]}{[SO_2Cl_2]} \).
At equilibrium, the concentration of SO2 and Cl2 will be equal to the amount of SO2Cl2 that decomposed, and the concentration of SO2Cl2 will be the initial concentration minus the amount that decomposed.
Substitute the equilibrium concentrations into the Kc expression and solve for Kc.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Chemical Equilibrium

Chemical equilibrium occurs when the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal, resulting in constant concentrations of reactants and products. In this context, the decomposition of SO2Cl2 into SO2 and Cl2 reaches a state where the amounts of each species remain unchanged over time, allowing for the calculation of the equilibrium constant, Kc.
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Equilibrium Constant (Kc)

The equilibrium constant, Kc, quantifies the ratio of the concentrations of products to reactants at equilibrium, raised to the power of their stoichiometric coefficients. For the reaction SO2Cl2 ⇌ SO2 + Cl2, Kc is calculated using the formula Kc = [SO2][Cl2] / [SO2Cl2], where the brackets denote molarity. This constant provides insight into the extent of the reaction and the favorability of product formation.
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Molarity and Concentration Calculations

Molarity is defined as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution, expressed as M = moles/volume. In this problem, the initial concentration of SO2Cl2 is determined by dividing the moles (2.00 mol) by the volume of the flask (2.00 L), which is essential for calculating the equilibrium concentrations after accounting for the decomposition of the reactant.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

A sample of nitrosyl bromide (NOBr) decomposes according to the equation 2 NOBr(𝑔) ⇌ 2 NO(𝑔) + Br2(𝑔) An equilibrium mixture in a 5.00-L vessel at 100°C contains 3.22 g of NOBr, 2.46 g of NO, and 6.55 g of Br2. (b) What is the total pressure exerted by the mixture of gases?

Textbook Question

When 2.00 mol of SO2Cl2 is placed in a 2.00-L flask at 303 K, 56% of the SO2Cl2 decomposes to SO2 and Cl2: SO2Cl2(g) ⇌ SO2(g) + Cl2(g) (c) According to Le Châtelier's principle, would the percent of SO2Cl2 that decomposes increase, decrease or stay the same if the mixture were transferred to a 15.00-L vessel?

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Textbook Question

Consider the hypothetical reaction A(𝑔) ⇌ 2 B(𝑔). A flask is charged with 0.75 atm of pure A, after which it is allowed to reach equilibrium at 0°C. At equilibrium, the partial pressure of A is 0.36 atm. (c) To maximize the yield of product B, would you make the reaction flask larger or smaller?

Textbook Question

(c) If the temperature is raised by 100 K, does the forward rate constant kf increase by a larger or smaller amount than the reverse rate constant kr?

Textbook Question

(b) If the temperature is raised by 100 K, does the equilibrium constant for this reaction increase or decrease?

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