C(s) + H2O(g) + Heat <--> CO(g) + H2(g)
17. How would you adjust the temperature to increase the amount of product?
18. Does the removal of hydrogen gas as it is produced shift the reaction to the left or the right?
My last two questions on my homework that I just can't figure out. Please help, and thank you in advance!
17. Increasing the temperature will favor the endothermic reaction, which is the direction in which heat is absorbed. Therefore, to increase the amount of product (CO and H2), you would need to increase the temperature.
18. According to Le Chatelier's principle, removing a product will shift the reaction towards the right to replace what was removed. In this case, removing hydrogen gas as it is produced would shift the reaction to the right.
To adjust the temperature to increase the amount of product in the reaction C(s) + H2O(g) + Heat <--> CO(g) + H2(g), you need to consider the reaction's heat as a reactant.
1. If you increase the temperature, you effectively add more heat to the reactants' side. As a result, the reaction will shift in the direction that consumes the excess heat, which is the endothermic direction. In this case, it means the reaction will shift to the right, which increases the amount of CO and H2 produced.
To understand why this happens, it's important to know that reactions can be either exothermic (releasing heat) or endothermic (absorbing heat). In the given reaction, the heat is on the reactant side, indicating that the reaction is endothermic. Increasing the temperature will provide more energy for the endothermic reaction to occur, resulting in greater product formation.
Now, regarding the removal of hydrogen gas as it is produced:
2. According to Le Chatelier's principle, the partial removal of a product can shift the reaction towards the side where the product is formed. In this case, as hydrogen gas (H2) is being removed, the reaction will shift to the right to produce more hydrogen to compensate for its removal. Therefore, the removal of hydrogen gas as it is produced will shift the reaction to the right, increasing the amount of CO and H2 produced.
To clarify, Le Chatelier's principle states that a system at equilibrium responds to changes by shifting in a direction that tends to counteract the change. In this case, removing hydrogen gas disrupts the equilibrium, so the reaction will shift toward the formation of more hydrogen gas to restore equilibrium.
17.
Based on the chemical equation, the reaction is endothermic. Increasing the temperature will favor the forward (left to right) reaction.
Or you may think of the heat as one of the reactants. If you increase heat, then the amount of products will also increase. Otherwise, it will decrease.
18.
Yes, it will favor the forward reaction, because as you remove the H2 gas, there would be no or little amount of H2 left to react with CO to yield C, H2O and heat.
Hope this helps~ :3