Two students measure the equilibrium constant for the same chemical reaction.One student finds K_c to be 130; the other calculates K_c to be 11.4.The instructor checks their results and says they are both correct.Which of the following is a plausible explanation?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The equilibrium constant involves the ratio of the concentrations of the products and reactants, raised to the appropriate powers, as determined by the stoichiometric coefficients of the balanced equation. The two values calculated by the students differ significantly, suggesting that one of them may not have used the correct balancing coefficients. Choice C provides a plausible explanation for the discrepancy, as one student may have used coefficients that were double those of the other.

Two Students Measure the Equilibrium Constant for the Same Chemical