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16
Chemical Equilibrium
Lesson 16.1 Equilibrium: A State of Dynamic Balance
In your textbook, read about chemical equilibrium.
Complete each statement.
1. When a reaction results in almost complete conversion of reactants to products, chemists say the
reaction goes to _____________________.

2. A reaction that can occur in both the forward and the reverse directions is called a(n)
_____________________.

3. _____________________ is a state in which the forward and reverse reactions balance each other
because they take place at equal rates.

4. At equilibrium, the concentrations of reactants and products are ___________________ but that
does not mean that the amounts or concentrations are ___________________.

5. Equilibrium is a state of _____________________, not one of _____________________.

In your textbook, read about equilibrium expressions and constants.

For each statement below, write true or false.

__________________ 6. The law of chemical equilibrium states that at a given pressure, a chemical system
may reach a state in which a particular ratio of reactant to product concentrations has
a constant value.
__________________ 7. The equation H2(g)  I2(g)  2HI(g) is an example of a homogeneous equilibrium.
__________________ 8. If an equilibrium constant has a value less than one, the reactants are favored at
equilibrium.
__________________ 9. The value for Keq is constant only at a specific volume.
__________________ 10. If the equilibrium constant for a reaction at 300 K is 49.7, the concentration of the
reactants will be greater than the concentration of the products.
__________________ 11. A heterogeneous equilibrium means that reactants and products are present in more
than one state.
__________________ 12. The product of the forward chemical reaction is HI, for the equilibrium expression:

Chemistry: Matter and Change 14 Study Guide

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Lesson 16.1 continued

In your textbook, read about determining equilibrium constants.
A chemist did two experiments to determine the equilibrium constant for the reaction of sulfur dioxide
with oxygen to form sulfur trioxide. Use the table showing the results of the experiments to answer the
following questions.

2SO2(g)  O2(g)  2SO3(g) at 873 K

Experiment 1 Experiment 2
Initial concentrations Equilibrium concentrations Initial concentrations Equilibrium concentration
[SO2]  2.00M [SO2]  1.50M [SO2]  0.500M [SO2]  0.590M
[O2]  1.50M [O2]  1.26M [O2]  0M [O2]  0.0450M
[SO3]  3.00M [SO3]  3.50M [SO3]  0.350M [SO3]  0.260M

13. Write the equation to calculate the equilibrium constant for the reaction.
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14. Is this reaction an example of a homogeneous or heterogeneous equilibrium?

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15. Calculate the equilibrium constant from the data obtained in experiment 1.
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16. What is the equilibrium constant for the reaction in experiment 2?

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17. Was it necessary to calculate both equilibrium constants? Why or why not?
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18. What does this experiment show about the initial concentrations of products and
reactants in a reversible reaction?
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Lesson 16.2 Factors Affecting Chemical Equilibrium

In your textbook, read about Le Châtelier’s Principle.
Answer the following questions.

1. What does Le Châtelier’s Principle say?

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2. What are three kinds of stresses that can be placed on a system?

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For each reaction below, state the direction, left or right, in which the equilibrium will shift when
the indicated substance is added. Identify one other way in which the reaction could be shifted in
the same direction you indicated. (Hint: There may be more than one way to do this.)

3. Reaction: N2(g)  3H2(g)  2NH3(g); NH3 added

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4. Reaction: H2(g)  I2(g)  2HI(g); H2 added

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5. Reaction: CO(g)  H2O  CO2(g)  H2(g); H2O added

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6. Reaction: 2SO2(g)  O2(g)  2SO3(g); SO3 added

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7. Reaction: 2SO2(g)  O2(g)  2SO3(g); SO2 added

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8. Reaction: 2NCl3(g)  N2(g)  3Cl2(g); NCl3 added

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Lesson 16.2 continued

In your textbook, read about factors affecting chemical equilibrium.

Use each of the terms below just once to complete the passage.

right exothermic increase stress catalyst energy

smallest change reverse constant forward

When you decrease the volume of a reaction vessel, you (9) ________________________ the
pressure. This causes a reaction at equilibrium to shift to the side with the
(10) ________________________ number of moles. If the reaction has an equal number of moles of
reactants and products, changing the volume of the reaction vessel causes no
(11) ________________________ in the equilibrium.

Changing the temperature of a reaction at equilibrium alters both the equilibrium

(12) ________________________ and the equilibrium position. When a reaction is
(13) ________________________, which means it releases energy, lowering the temperature shifts the
equilibrium to the (14) ________________________ because the forward reaction liberates heat and
removes the (15) ________________________.

A (16) ________________________ speeds up a reaction by lowering the

(17) ____________________ requirements for the reaction, but it does so equally in both the
(18) _____________________ and the (19) _____________________ directions. The reaction will reach
equilibrium more quickly, but with no change in the amount of product formed.

For each reaction below, indicate in which direction the equilibrium shifts when the stated stress is
applied to the system. Write R if the reaction shifts to the right, L if it shifts to the left, or NC if
there is no change.

Reaction Stress
_________ 20. PCl5(g)  PCl3(g)  Cl2(g)  heat
_________ 21. CO(g)  Fe3O4(s)  CO2(g)  3FeO(s)
_________ 22. C2H2(g)  H2O(g)  CH3CHO(g)  heat
_________ 23. 2NO(g)  H2(g)  N2O(g)  H2O(g)  heat
_________ 24. Heat  H2(g)  I2(g)  2HI(g)
_________ 25. H2(g)  Cl2(g)  2HCl(g)  heat

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Chemistry: Matter and Change 18 Study Guide

Lesson 16.3 Using Equilibrium Constants
In your textbook, read about calculating equilibrium concentrations.
Answer the following questions.

1. What can you use the equilibrium constant to do?

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2. Given the reaction: N2  O2  2NO for which the Keq at 2273 K is 1.2104
a. Write the equilibrium constant expression for the reaction.
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b. Write the equation that would allow you solve for the concentration of NO.
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c. What is the concentration of NO if [N2]  0.166M and [O2]  0.145M?

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3. What is the solubility product constant?

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4. What is the solubility product constant expression for the reaction:

Mg3(PO4)2(s)  3Mg2(aq)  2PO43(aq)
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5. Given the equilibrium BaSO4(s)  Ba2(aq)  SO42(aq), what is the solubility product constant
expression?
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6. The solubility product constant for BaSO4 at 298 K is 1.11010. Calculate the
solubility of BaSO4 in mol/L at 298 K.
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Lesson 16.3 continued
In your textbook, read about predicting precipitates.
The solubility product constant can be used to determine if a precipitate will form when two
aqueous solutions are mixed together. First, calculate the concentrations of the ions in the final
solution. Use the solubility product constant expression to calculate the ion product (Qsp ) for the
substance that might precipitate. Compare the result with the Ksp of the substance.

7. What can you say about a solution when

a. Qsp is greater than Ksp?
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b. Qsp is equal to Ksp?

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c. Qsp is less than Ksp?

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8. Predict whether a precipitate of AgBr will form if 100 mL of 0.0025M AgNO3 and
100 mL of 0.0020M NaBr are mixed.
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9. Explain briefly why Ag3PO4 might be more soluble in water than in the same volume of a solution
containing Na3PO4.
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Chemistry: Matter and Change 18 Study Guide