Question #19cd0

1 Answer
Nov 19, 2015

2.42 * 10^(-1)"M"2.42101M

Explanation:

Start with the balanced chemical equation for this equilibrium reaction

color(red)(2)"CH"_2"Cl"_text(2(g]) rightleftharpoons "CH"_text(4(g]) + "CCl"_text(4(g])2CH2Cl2(g]CH4(g]+CCl4(g]

By definition, the equilibrium constant, K_cKc, is equal to the ratio between the product of the equilibrium concentrations of the products and the equilibrium concentration of the reactant, all raised to the power of their respective stoichiometric coefficients.

Mathematically, K_cKc will be equal to

K_c = ( ["CH"_4] * ["CCl"_4])/(["CH"_2"Cl"_2]^color(red)(2))Kc=[CH4][CCl4][CH2Cl2]2

Keep in mind, these are all equilibrium concentrations used in the expression for K_cKc.

Now, you know that this reaction has a K_cKc equal to 10.510.5 at a temperature of "350 K"350 K.

Moreover, you know that at equilibrium, the reaction vessel contains

["CH"_2"Cl"_2] = 2.36 * 10^(-2)"M"[CH2Cl2]=2.36102M

and

["CH"_4] = 2.42 * 10^(-2)"M"[CH4]=2.42102M

Even without doing any calculations, you could predict that the concentration of carbon tetrachloride, "CCl"_4CCl4, will be about 1010 times bigger than that of the other product, methane.

That happens because the value of K_cKc, which is greater than one, tells you that, at this temperature at least, the reaction favors the products.

Since the equilibrium concentrations of the reactant and of one of the products are approximately equal, the magnitude of K_cKc must have an impact on the concentration of methane.

You can determine the equilibrium concentration for "CCl"_4CCl4 by rearranging the equation for K_cKc

K_c = ( ["CH"_4] * ["CCl"_4])/(["CH"_2"Cl"_2]^color(red)(2)) implies ["CCl"_4] = K_c * (["CH"_2"Cl"_2]^color(red)(2))/(["CH"_4])Kc=[CH4][CCl4][CH2Cl2]2[CCl4]=Kc[CH2Cl2]2[CH4]

Plug in your values to get

["CCl"_4] = 10.5 * ( (2.36 * 10^(-2))^color(red)(2)"M"^color(red)(cancel(color(black)(2))))/( 2.42 * 10^(-2)color(red)(cancel(color(black)("M")))) = 24.166 * 10^(-2)"M"

Rounded to three sig figs, the answer will be

["CCl"_4] = color(green)(2.42 * 10^(-1)"M")

Indeed, the initial predict appears to be correct, you do have about 10 time more carbon tetrachloride than methane.