Sulfur dioxide and oxygen react to form sulfur trioxide according to the equation
2 SO2(g) + O2(g) ⇌ 2 SO3(g)
At 700 K the equilibrium constant expressed in terms of concentration is Kc = 0.14. A 5.00 L reaction vessel at 700 K is charged with 0.300 mol SO2, 0.150 mol O2, and 0.400 mol SO3.
Respond to the following prompts.
(a) Calculate the initial molar concentration of each species in the vessel.
(b) Determine the numerical value of Qc for the mixture at the moment the gases are introduced.
(c) State whether the reaction mixture will shift toward reactants or toward products as it moves toward equilibrium, and support your answer using the values obtained.