The equilibrium constant, K_p, for the reaction CO(g) + H₂O(g) CO₂(g) + H₂(g)
At 986°C is 0.63. A rigid cylinder at that temperature contains 1.2 atm of carbon monoxide, 0.20 atm of water vapor, 0.30 atm of carbon dioxide, and 0.27 atm of hydrogen. Is the system at equilibrium?

Question

The equilibrium constant, K_p, for the reaction CO(g) + H₂O(g)

The equilibrium constant, K<sub>p </sub>, for the reaction CO(g) + H<sub>2</sub>O(g) CO<sub>2</sub>(g) + H<sub>2</sub>(g) At 986°C is 0.63. A rigid cylinder at that temperature contains 1.2 atm of carbon monoxide, 0.20 atm of water vapor, 0.30 atm of carbon dioxide, and 0.27 atm of hydrogen. Is the system at equilibrium? A) Yes. B) No, the forward reaction must proceed to establish equilibrium. C) No, the reverse reaction must proceed to establish equilibrium. D) Need to know the volume of the container before deciding. E) Need to know the starting concentrations of all substances before deciding.

CO₂(g) + H₂(g)
At 986°C is 0.63. A rigid cylinder at that temperature contains 1.2 atm of carbon monoxide, 0.20 atm of water vapor, 0.30 atm of carbon dioxide, and 0.27 atm of hydrogen. Is the system at equilibrium?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since the calculated equilibrium constant (K_p) is less than 1, this means that the forward reaction (CO(g) + H₂O(g) 11ea8ef8_2b88_f172_ab0a_3dfd60991d77_TB5833_11 CO₂(g) + H₂(g)) is not favored and that the reverse reaction is favored. The current partial pressures of the reactants and products are not at their equilibrium values, meaning that the forward reaction must proceed to reach equilibrium. Therefore, the answer is B.

The Equilibrium Constant, Kp , for the Reaction CO(g)

The Equilibrium Constant, K_p, for the Reaction CO(g)