Sulfur trioxide is produced industrially by the gas-phase reaction A mixture…
CHEMISTRY · Multi-part · A Level · Chemistry · Chemical equilibria (Le Chatelier’s principle and Kc) · Chemical equilibria (Le Chatelier’s principle and Kc)
Problem
Sulfur trioxide is produced industrially by the gas-phase reaction
2SO2(g)+O2(g)⇌2SO3(g)
A mixture containing 1.200 mol of SO2(g) and 0.800 mol of O2(g) is introduced into a rigid 2.00 L reaction vessel at a high temperature. After the system reaches equilibrium, 85.0 % of the initial SO2(g) has been converted to SO3(g).
(a) Calculate the equilibrium concentrations of SO2(g), O2(g), and SO3(g) in the vessel.
(b) Determine the value of the equilibrium constant Kc for the reaction at this temperature.
(c) Predict qualitatively, with reasoning, how the amount of SO3(g) present at equilibrium would change if the total volume of the vessel were suddenly decreased to 1.00 L while the temperature is held constant.