Using an ICE Table, how do we calculate K_cKc for the following reaction?

At "373 K"373 K, "0.1 mols"0.1 mols of N_2O_4N2O4 is heated in a one liter flask and at equilibrium the amount of nitrogen dioxide is "0.12 mols"0.12 mols.

N_2O_4 rightleftharpoons 2NO_2N2O42NO2

1 Answer
Nov 12, 2016

K_c = 0.36Kc=0.36


For starters, we (of course) assume ideal gases (these are both gases at room temperature).

Then, we recall the definition of the concentration equilibrium constant for a two-component equilibrium:

K_c = ([B]^(nu_B))/([A]^(nu_A))Kc=[B]νB[A]νA,

for the equilibrium nu_A A rightleftharpoons nu_B BνAAνBB.

Even though we are looking at two gases, we are given the bb"mol"mols and the total vessel's volume, so we can still get initial and equilibrium concentrations as usual.

However, since the vessel is not going to change size, and ideal gases are assumed to fill the vessel completely and evenly, let us simply work in "mol"mols for the ICE table, and divide by "1 L"1 L later.

Normally, we would write this:

N_2O_4(g) rightleftharpoons 2NO_2(g)N2O4(g)2NO2(g)

"I"" "" "0.1" "" "" "0I 0.1 0
"C"" "" "- x" "+2xC x +2x
"E"" " 0.1 - x" "" "2xE 0.1x 2x

noting that the consumption of xx "mol"mols of "N"_2"O"_4N2O4 yields 2x2x "mol"mols of "NO"_2(g)NO2(g), and not just xx.

But we know what xx is. Since at equilibrium, n_(NO_2) = "0.12 mols"nNO2=0.12 mols, we have that 2x = "0.12 mol"2x=0.12 mols, or x = "0.06 mols"x=0.06 mols. Therefore, we can already calculate K_cKc:

K_c = ([NO_2]^(2))/([N_2O_4])Kc=[NO2]2[N2O4]

= ((2x)^2" mols"^cancel(2)"/" cancel("1") "L"^cancel(2))/((0.1 - x)cancel"mols""/" cancel"1 L")

= (4x^2)/(0.1 - x) "M"

= (4(0.06)^2)/(0.1 - 0.06) "M"

However, K_c is conventionally reported without units, so:

color(blue)(K_c = 0.36)