Table of contents

1. Matter and Measurements4h 31m
2. Atoms and the Periodic Table5h 23m
3. Ionic Compounds2h 18m
4. Molecular Compounds2h 18m
5. Classification & Balancing of Chemical Reactions3h 17m
6. Chemical Reactions & Quantities2h 27m
7. Energy, Rate and Equilibrium3h 46m
8. Gases, Liquids and Solids3h 25m
9. Solutions4h 10m
10. Acids and Bases3h 29m
11. Nuclear Chemistry56m
BONUS: Lab Techniques and Procedures1h 38m
BONUS: Mathematical Operations and Functions47m
12. Introduction to Organic Chemistry1h 34m
13. Alkenes, Alkynes, and Aromatic Compounds2h 12m
14. Compounds with Oxygen or Sulfur1h 6m
15. Aldehydes and Ketones1h 1m
16. Carboxylic Acids and Their Derivatives1h 11m
17. Amines39m
18. Amino Acids and Proteins1h 51m
19. Enzymes1h 37m
20. Carbohydrates1h 41m
21. The Generation of Biochemical Energy2h 8m
22. Carbohydrate Metabolism2h 22m
23. Lipids2h 26m
24. Lipid Metabolism1h 45m
25. Protein and Amino Acid Metabolism1h 37m
26. Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis2h 54m

7. Energy, Rate and Equilibrium

The Equilibrium Constant

GOB Chemistry

7. Energy, Rate and Equilibrium

The Equilibrium Constant

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1:09 minutes

Problem 69d

Textbook Question

Magnetite, an iron ore with formula Fe₃O₄, can be reduced by treatment with hydrogen to yield iron metal and water vapor.
d. This reaction has K = 2.3 × 10^-18. Are the reactants or the products favored?

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Understand the equilibrium constant (K). The equilibrium constant (K) is a measure of the extent to which a reaction proceeds to form products at equilibrium. A very small K value (K << 1) indicates that the reactants are favored, while a very large K value (K >> 1) indicates that the products are favored.

Step 2: Analyze the given K value. In this problem, K = 2.3 × 10^(-18), which is an extremely small number. This suggests that the reaction does not proceed significantly toward the products and that the reactants are heavily favored at equilibrium.

Step 3: Relate the K value to the reaction. For the reaction Fe3O4 + H2 → Fe + H2O, the small K value implies that the concentration of the reactants (Fe3O4 and H2) will be much higher than the concentration of the products (Fe and H2O) at equilibrium.

Step 4: Conclude which side is favored. Since K is very small, the equilibrium lies far to the left, meaning the reactants are favored over the products.

Step 5: Summarize the reasoning. The extremely small equilibrium constant (K = 2.3 × 10^(-18)) indicates that the reaction does not proceed significantly toward the formation of products, and the reactants are strongly favored at equilibrium.

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Key Concepts

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

Equilibrium Constant (K)

The equilibrium constant (K) is a numerical value that expresses the ratio of the concentrations of products to reactants at equilibrium for a given reaction. A small K value, such as 2.3 x 10^-18, indicates that at equilibrium, the concentration of reactants is much greater than that of products, suggesting that the reaction favors the reactants.

Reaction Favorability

Reaction favorability refers to the tendency of a chemical reaction to proceed in the forward direction (toward products) or reverse direction (toward reactants). In this case, a very low equilibrium constant suggests that the formation of products (iron metal and water vapor) is highly unfavorable compared to the reactants (magnetite and hydrogen).

Le Chatelier's Principle

Le Chatelier's Principle states that if a system at equilibrium is subjected to a change in concentration, temperature, or pressure, the system will adjust to counteract that change and restore a new equilibrium. Understanding this principle helps predict how changes in conditions might affect the favorability of the reaction between magnetite and hydrogen.