For the following exothermic reaction, what condition will increase the yield of product? C₂H₂ (g) + H₂O (g) CH₃CHO (g)

Question

For the following exothermic reaction, what condition will increase the yield of product? C₂H₂ (g) + H₂O (g)  CH₃CHO (g)

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This exothermic reaction is in fact an equilibrium reaction, meaning that it can go in both forward and backward directions. The yield of product (CH₃CHO) can be increased by manipulating the conditions in such a way that the equilibrium shifts towards the product side. According to Le Chatelier's principle, increasing the pressure will shift the equilibrium towards the side with fewer moles of gas. As the reactants have two moles of gas whereas the product has just one mole of gas, increasing the pressure will favor the product side and thus increase the yield of product. Additionally, decreasing the temperature will also shift the equilibrium towards the product side, as this reaction is exothermic. Therefore, the combination of low temperature and high pressure will be the best choice to increase the yield of product.

For the Following Exothermic Reaction, What Condition Will Increase the Yield