I don't understand one of my homework questions i'm really stuck. please help!
How will the equilibrium: Heat + CH4(g) + 2H3S(g)= CS2 (g) + 4H2 (g) be affected by the following:
a) A decrease in temperature.
b) The addition of H2.
c) The removal of some CH4 (g)
d) An increase in the volume of the container.
e) The addition of a catalyst.
Sure, I'd be happy to help! Let's go through each of the scenarios one by one:
a) A decrease in temperature:
To determine how a decrease in temperature will affect the equilibrium, we need to think about the reaction's endothermic or exothermic nature. If the reaction is exothermic (releases heat), then decreasing the temperature will favor the forward reaction in an attempt to regain the lost heat. On the other hand, if the reaction is endothermic (absorbs heat), then decreasing the temperature will favor the reverse reaction to generate more heat. In this case, since the reaction is not specified as exothermic or endothermic, we cannot definitively determine the effect.
b) The addition of H2:
Adding H2 to the reaction mixture will increase the concentration of the reactant species (H2) on the right side of the equation. According to Le Chatelier's principle, increasing the concentration of reactants, in this case, H2, will shift the equilibrium towards the product side (CS2 + 4H2). Therefore, the addition of H2 will favor the forward reaction.
c) The removal of some CH4 (g):
Removing CH4 from the reaction mixture will decrease the concentration of the reactant species (CH4) on the left side of the equation. According to Le Chatelier's principle, decreasing the concentration of reactants, in this case, CH4, will shift the equilibrium towards the reactant side (Heat + CH4 + 2H3S). Therefore, the removal of CH4 will favor the reverse reaction.
d) An increase in the volume of the container:
Increasing the volume of the container will decrease the pressure exerted by the reaction mixture. If we recall Le Chatelier's principle again, when the pressure is decreased, the equilibrium will shift towards the side with a higher number of gas molecules. In this reaction, the products side (CS2 + 4H2) has a higher number of gas molecules compared to the reactants side (Heat + CH4 + 2H3S). Therefore, an increase in the volume of the container will favor the product side and shift the equilibrium in that direction.
e) The addition of a catalyst:
A catalyst does not affect the equilibrium constant or the position of the equilibrium because it speeds up the rate of both the forward and reverse reaction equally. It provides an alternative reaction pathway with lower activation energy, but it does not change the final distribution of products or reactants.
I hope this helps you understand how each of these scenarios affects the given equilibrium! If you have any further questions, feel free to ask.