The reaction H 2 CO 3 + H 2 O ↔ H 3 O + + HCO 3 – takes place in water.
What happens to the equilibrium when the pressure is increased ?
A-It favors formation of reactants.
B-It favors formation of products.
C-It does not change. ***
D- It is conserved.
i’m not sure.
To determine the effect of increasing pressure on the equilibrium of the reaction H2CO3 + H2O ↔ H3O+ + HCO3-, you can use Le Chatelier's principle. According to Le Chatelier's principle, when a system in equilibrium is subjected to a change, it will shift in a way that counteracts the change. In this case, we are increasing the pressure.
When pressure is increased, the system will try to decrease the pressure by shifting the equilibrium towards the side with fewer moles of gas.
Looking at the balanced equation, we see that there are equal numbers of moles of gas on both sides:
On the reactant side: 1 mol of H2CO3
On the product side: 1 mol of H3O+ and 1 mol of HCO3-
Therefore, increasing the pressure will not favor the formation of either the reactants or the products. It will not cause a shift in the equilibrium position.
So, the correct answer is C- It does not change.