The following reaction is at equilibrium at a pressure of 1 atm, in a closed container. NaOH(s) + CO₂(g) NaHCO₃(s) $\Delta$H°_rxn

Question

The following reaction is at equilibrium at a pressure of 1 atm, in a closed container. NaOH(s) + CO₂(g) NaHCO₃(s) $\Delta$H°_rxn < 0 Which, if any, of the following actions will decrease the concentration of CO₂ gas present at equilibrium?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Le Chatelier's principle, when a system at equilibrium is disturbed, it will shift in a way to counteract the disturbance. In this case, decreasing the concentration of CO₂ gas would mean shifting the equilibrium to consume more of it. A) Adding N₂ gas to double the pressure would cause the equilibrium to shift to the left, increasing the concentration of CO₂ gas. B) Adding more solid NaOH would not affect the concentration of CO₂ gas since it is not a reactant or product in the equation. C) Increasing the volume of the container would also not affect the concentration of CO₂ gas since gas concentrations are not affected by changes in volume (as long as the temperature and pressure remain constant). D) Lowering the temperature would shift the equilibrium to the left, consuming more CO₂ gas to produce more NaHCO₃(s) and ultimately decreasing the concentration of CO₂ gas. Therefore, the best choice is D.

The Following Reaction Is at Equilibrium at a Pressure of 1