Hey guys! Stuck on some problems:
1)Consider the following chemical reaction between gases:
2N2O(g) + O2(g)->4NO(g) + heat
The amount of O2 at equilibrium will be decreased by:
1. Adding more NO(g).
2. Increasing the pressure by decreasing the volume.
3. Removing N2O.
4. Adding a catalyst.
5. Decreasing the temperature.
My maybe answer: I know to use Le Chatelie's Principle, I know it is exothermic, I think maybe the answer is 2 (?)
to decrease O2 is to shift to right or adding more N20, OR removing NO, or removing the heat. or reducing pressure.
so decreasing temp works.
That makes sense! Just wanted to say thanks!
Good observation! Le Chatelier's Principle is indeed the key concept to consider in this problem. When a chemical system at equilibrium is subjected to a stress, it will shift in a way that minimizes the effect of the stress.
In this case, the given reaction is exothermic, meaning it releases heat. Let's break down each option and see how it affects the equilibrium:
1) Adding more NO(g) would increase the concentration of a reactant. According to Le Chatelier's Principle, the system would shift in the direction that reduces the concentration of NO(g). Therefore, this option does not decrease the amount of O2 at equilibrium.
2) Increasing the pressure by decreasing the volume would apply a stress to the system. Since there are fewer moles of gas on the reactant side (3 moles) compared to the product side (4 moles), the system would shift towards the side with fewer moles of gas, which is the reactant side. This means the reaction will consume more O2, leading to a decrease in the amount of O2 at equilibrium. So, option 2 is correct.
3) Removing N2O would decrease the concentration of a reactant. According to Le Chatelier's Principle, the system would shift in the direction that replenishes the concentration of N2O. Therefore, this option does not decrease the amount of O2 at equilibrium.
4) Adding a catalyst increases the rate of a chemical reaction but does not affect the position of the equilibrium. It does not have a direct impact on the concentration of any of the reactants or products. So, this option does not decrease the amount of O2 at equilibrium.
5) Decreasing the temperature will cause the reaction to shift in the direction that produces more heat. Since the reaction is exothermic, this means it will shift towards favoring the reactants. Therefore, the amount of O2 at equilibrium would decrease. So, option 5 is also correct.
To summarize, the correct answers are options 2 (increasing the pressure by decreasing the volume) and 5 (decreasing the temperature). Both these changes would decrease the amount of O2 at equilibrium in the given chemical reaction.