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Chapter 5: Problem 4

At a certain temperature, why can a certain reaction have multiple values of the equilibrium constant?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: A reaction can have multiple values of the equilibrium constant at a specific temperature due to the involvement of different species or the occurrence of parallel reaction pathways, each leading to different products. In such cases, each equilibrium constant is associated with a specific product formation or pathway.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding chemical equilibrium

Chemical equilibrium is a state in which the rate of the forward reaction equals the rate of the reverse reaction. In other words, the concentrations of the reactants and the products remain constant over time in an equilibrium state.
02

Equilibrium constant (K)

The equilibrium constant (K) represents the ratio of the concentrations of products and reactants raised to the power of their respective stoichiometric coefficients in a balanced chemical equation. It's important to note that K is constant for a specific reaction at a constant temperature. The general formula is given as: K = \frac{[products]^x}{[reactants]^y} Where [products] and [reactants] represent the molar concentrations of products and reactants, respectively, and x and y are the stoichiometric coefficients of products and reactants in the balanced chemical equation.
03

Factors affecting equilibrium constant

The equilibrium constant is affected by three factors: temperature, pressure, and the concentration of reactants and products. Among these factors, temperature plays the most significant role in determining the value of the equilibrium constant. The pressure and concentration changes can shift the position of equilibrium but do not change the value of K at constant temperature.
04

Multiple values of the equilibrium constant

A particular reaction might involve different species or undergo parallel pathways to reach the products. In such cases, multiple equilibrium constants can be defined for the various species involved or different pathways taking place. So, at a certain temperature, a reaction might have multiple values of the equilibrium constant due to various possibilities in product formation. To summarize, multiple values of the equilibrium constant for a certain reaction at a specific temperature can arise due to the involvement of different species or the occurrence of parallel reaction pathways. In these cases, each equilibrium constant is associated with the specific product formation or pathway.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Why do catalysts not influence the chemical equilibrium?

Qualitatively plot \(K_{c}\) versus the temperature for an endothermic and an exothermic reaction.

For a reaction taking place at constant \(p\) and \(\mathrm{T}\), why can we say that the \(\Delta \mathrm{G}^{0}\) remains constant, but we cannot say the same for \(\Delta G\) ?

At \(450^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\), the equilibrium constant for the reaction \(2 \mathrm{HI} \rightleftarrows \mathrm{H}_{2}+\mathrm{I}_{2}\) is \(K_{p}=50\). Find the dissociation grade of HI.

What is the difference between a global reaction rate expression and one based on elementary reactions?
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