Equilibrium Sample Problems
1. Write the expression Kc for each of the following equilibrium reactions:
a) 2H2O (g) + 2SO2 (g ↔ 2H2S (g) + 3O2 (g)
b) 4NH3 (g) + 5O2 (g) ↔ 4NO (g) + 6H2O (g)
c) Si(CH3)4(g) + 12 CO2(g) ↔ SiO2(s) + 16 CO(g) + 6 H2O(g)
d) 2 PbS(s) + 3 O2(g) ↔ 2 PbO(s) + 2 SO2(g)
2. Consider the reaction 2 NOCl(g) ↔ 2 NO(g) + Cl2(g) at 35º C, when 3.00 mol NOCl,
1.00 mol NO, and 2.00 mol Cl2 are mixed in a 10.0 L flask. After the system has
reached equilibrium the concentrations are observed to be [Cl2] = 1.52 x 10-1 M, [NO]
= 4.00 x 10-3 M, and [NOCl] = 3.96 x 10-1 M. Calculate the value of K for this
system at 35 ºC.
3. At some temperature the reaction
PCl3 (g) + Cl2 (g) ↔ PCl5 (g)
is at equilibrium when the concentrations of PCl3, Cl2, and PCl5 are 10.0, 9.0 and 12
mol/L, respectively. Calculate the value of Kc for this reaction at that temperature.
4. The reaction between nitrogen and oxygen to form NO(g) is represented by the
equation
N2 (g) + O2 (g )↔ 2NO (g)
Equilibrium concentrations of the gases at 1500 K are 1.7 x 10-3 mol/L for O2, 6.4 x
10-3 mol/L for N2 and 1.1 x 10-5 mol/L for NO. Calculate Kc at 1500K.
5. On the basis of the equilibrium constant values, choose the reactions in which the
products are favored.
a) NH3 (aq) + H2O (l) ↔ NH4+ (aq) + OH- (aq) K=1.8 x 10-5
b) Au+(aq) + 2CN- (aq) ↔ [Au(CN)2]- (aq)
K=2.0 x 1038
2+
2c) PbC2O4 (s) ↔ Pb (aq) + C2O4 (aq)
K=10-11
d) HS- (aq) + H+ (aq) ↔ H2S (aq)
K = 1.0 x 107
6. Initially, a mixture of 0.100 M NO, 0.050 M H2, and 0.100 M H2O was allowed to
reach equilibrium (initially there was no N2). At equilibrium the concentration of NO
was found to be 0.062 M. Determine the value of the equilibrium constant K for the
reaction: 2 NO(g) + 2 H2(g) ↔ N2(g) + 2 H2O(g)
7. A 1.0 L sealed tube initially contains 9.84 x 10-4 mol H2 and 1.38 x 10-3 mol I2. It is
kept at 350º C until the reaction
H2 (g) + I2 (g) ↔ 2HI (g)
comes to equilibrium. At equilibrium, 4.73 x 10-4 mol I2 is present. Calculate (a) the
number of moles of H2 and HI present at equilibrium; (b) the equilibrium constant,
Kc, for the reaction.
8. Consider the reaction: 2 NOCl(g) ↔ 2 NO(g) + Cl2(g). At 25º C a particular
experiment showed the equilibrium pressures to be PNOCl = 1.2 atm, PNO = 5.0 x 10-2
atm, and PCl2 = 3.0 x 10-1 atm. Calculate the value of KP and K.
9. Consider the hypothetical reaction A(g) + 2 B(g) ↔ 3 C(g) + 2 D(g).
a. Write the equilibrium expression.
b. A set of equilibrium concentrations for this system at 298 K is
[A] = 0.35 M
[B] = 0.20 M
[C] = 1.0 M
[D] = 0.50 M
Calculate K and KP for this system at 298 K.
10. For the synthesis of ammonia, the value of K is 6 x 10-2 at 500º C. In an experiment,
0.50 mol of N2, 1.0 x 10-2 mol of H2, and 1.0 x 10-4 mol of NH3 are mixed at 500º C
in a 1.0 L flask. In which direction will the system proceed to reach equilibrium?
11. Consider the reaction 2 NOCl(g) ↔ 2 NO(g) + Cl2(g) where K is 1.55 x 10-5 at 35º
C. In an experiment, 1.0 x 10-1 mol of NOCl, 1.0 x 10-3 mol of NO and 1.0 x 10-4 mol
of Cl2 are mixed at 35º C in a 2.0 L flask. In which direction will the system proceed
to reach equilibrium?
12. For the reaction described by the equation
N2 (g) + C2H2 (g) ↔ 2HCN (g)
Kc = 2.3 x 10-4 at 300º C.
What is the equilibrium concentration of hydrogen cyanide if the initial
concentrations of N2 and acetylene were 3.3 mol/L and 2.0 mol/L, respectively?
13. Consider the reaction H2(g) + F2(g) ↔ 2 HF(g) at a temperature where K = 1.15 x
102. In an experiment, 3.00 mol of H2 and 6.00 mol of F2 are mixed in a 3.00 L
container. Calculate the equilibrium concentrations of H2, F2, and HF.
14. At 700 K, carbon monoxide reacts with water to form carbon dioxide and hydrogen:
CO(g) + H2O(g) ↔ CO2(g) + H2(g). The equilibrium constant for this reaction at 700
K is 5.10. Consider an experiment in which 1.00 mol of CO2 and 1.00 mol of H2O
are mixed together in a 1.00 L flask at 700 K. Calculate the concentrations of all
species at equilibrium.
15. The reaction of iron and water vapor results in an equilibrium
3Fe (s) + 4H2O (g) ↔ Fe3O4 (s) + 4H2(g) with Kc= 4.6 at 850º C.
What is the concentration of hydrogen present at equilibrium if the reaction is
initiated with 28 g of H2O and excess Fe in a 10.0-liter container?
Extras not used!
50. Carbon dioxide reacts with hot carbon in the form of graphite. The equilibrium
constant, Kc, for the reaction is 10.0 at 850º C.
CO2 (g) + C(graphite)   2CO (g)
If 25.0 g of carbon monoxide is placed in a 2.5-L reaction vessel and heated to 850º C,
what is the mass of carbon dioxide at equilibrium?
52. A 62.5 g sample of HI was placed in a 1.50-L reaction vessel and allowed to come to
equilibrium as illustrated in the following equation
2HI (g)   H2 (g) +I2 (g)
Kc = 0.830
Calculate the concentration of each species present at equilibrium.
58. What would the effect on the equilibrium position of an equilibrium mixture of
carbon, oxygen and carbon monoxide if the total pressure of the system were increased?
2C (s) + O2(g)   2CO (g)
60. Predict whether the equilibrium for the photosynthesis reaction described by the
equation
6CO2(g) + 6H2O(l)   C6H12O6 (s) + 6O2 (g)
ΔHº = 2801.69 kJ/mol
would (i) shift to the right, (ii) shift to the left, or (iii) remain unchanged if (a)[CO2] were
increased; (b) PO2 were increased; (c) one half of the C6H12O6 were removed; (d) the total
pressure were decreased; (e) the temperature were increased; (f) a catalyst were added.
74. The equilibrium constant, Kp, for the reaction indicated by the following equation is
0.715 at 47º C.
N2O4 (g)   2NO2 (g)
Calculate the partial pressures of N2O4 and NO2 in an experiment in which 2.5 moles of
N2O4 is placed in a 5.0-L flask and allowed to establish equilibrium at 47º C.
76. The following equilibrium partial pressures were measured at 750º C: PH2 = 0.387
atm, PCO2= 0.152 atm, PCO = 0.180 atm, PH2O= 0.252 atm. What is the value of the
equilibrium constant for the reaction?
H2 + CO2   CO + H2O