At 35.0 °C, nitrogen dioxide dimerizes to form dinitrogen tetroxide according to the equation
2 NO2(g) ⇌ N2O4(g).
The equilibrium constant at this temperature is 6.4 × 10⁸. Use R = 8.314 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹.
(a) Calculate the standard Gibbs free energy change, ΔG°, in kJ mol⁻¹ for the reaction as written at 35.0 °C.
(b) Explain how the magnitude and sign of your calculated ΔG° are consistent with the numerical value of the equilibrium constant and what this implies about the relative concentrations of NO2 and N2O4 at equilibrium.