Chapter 15: Problem 1
Define equilibrium. Give two examples of a dynamic equilibrium.
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Chapter 15: Problem 1
Define equilibrium. Give two examples of a dynamic equilibrium.
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Industrially, sodium metal is obtained by electrolyzing molten sodium chloride. The reaction at the cathode is \(\mathrm{Na}^{+}+e^{-} \longrightarrow \mathrm{Na}\). We might expect that potassium metal would also be prepared by electrolyzing molten potassium chloride. However, potassium metal is soluble in molten potassium chloride and therefore is hard to recover. Furthermore, potassium vaporizes readily at the operating temperature, creating hazardous conditions. Instead, potassium is prepared by the distillation of molten potassium chloride in the presence of sodium vapor at \(892^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) : $$ \mathrm{Na}(g)+\mathrm{KCl}(l) \rightleftharpoons \mathrm{NaCl}(l)+\mathrm{K}(g) $$ In view of the fact that potassium is a stronger reducing agent than sodium, explain why this approach works. (The boiling points of sodium and potassium are \(892^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) and \(770^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\), respectively.)
Explain the difference between physical equilibrium and chemical equilibrium. Give two examples of each.
Consider this reaction: $$ \mathrm{N}_{2}(g)+\mathrm{O}_{2}(g) \rightleftharpoons 2 \mathrm{NO}(g) $$ If the equilibrium partial pressures of \(\mathrm{N}_{2}, \mathrm{O}_{2}\), and NO are 0.15 atm, 0.33 atm, and 0.050 atm, respectively, at \(2200^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\), what is \(K_{P} ?\)
Consider the gas-phase reaction $$ 2 \mathrm{CO}(g)+\mathrm{O}_{2}(g) \rightleftharpoons 2 \mathrm{CO}_{2}(g) $$ Predict the shift in the equilibrium position when helium gas is added to the equilibrium mixture (a) at constant pressure and (b) at constant volume.
In 1899 the German chemist Ludwig Mond developed a process for purifying nickel by converting it to the volatile nickel tetracarbonyl \(\left[\mathrm{Ni}(\mathrm{CO})_{4}\right]\) (b.p. \(=\) \(\left.42.2^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\right)\) $$ \mathrm{Ni}(s)+4 \mathrm{CO}(g) \rightleftharpoons \mathrm{Ni}(\mathrm{CO})_{4}(g) $$ (a) Describe how you can separate nickel and its solid impurities. (b) How would you recover nickel? \(\left[\Delta H_{\mathrm{f}}^{\circ}\right.\) for \(\mathrm{Ni}(\mathrm{CO})_{4}\) is \(\left.-602.9 \mathrm{kj} / \mathrm{mol} .\right]\)
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