Why catalyst does not affect the equilibrium
5 answers
A catalyst does not affect the position of an equilibrium because it does not change the relative amounts of reactants and products at equilibrium. A catalyst increases the rate of both the forward and reverse reactions by providing an alternative pathway with a lower activation energy, which allows the reaction to reach equilibrium faster. However, since the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are increased equally, the ratio of reactants to products is not affected, and the equilibrium constant remains the same. Therefore, a catalyst only affects the rate of the reaction, not the position of the equilibrium.
What is the equilibrium constant of reaction; Ba^2(aq) +SO4^2 (aq) producing BaSO4(s)
The equilibrium constant, denoted as K, for the reaction:
Ba^2(aq) + SO4^2-(aq) → BaSO4(s)
can be expressed as follows:
K = [BaSO4]/[Ba^2+] [SO4^2-]
where [BaSO4], [Ba^2+], and [SO4^2-] are the molar concentrations (in mol/L) of barium sulfate, barium ions, and sulfate ions, respectively, at equilibrium.
Since barium sulfate is a solid, its concentration is considered to be constant and is therefore not included in the equilibrium expression. The solubility product constant (Ksp) of barium sulfate can be used to determine its concentration as follows:
Ksp = [Ba^2+][SO4^2-]
Assuming that all of the barium sulfate dissolves in water and dissociates completely to produce barium ions and sulfate ions, the equilibrium concentration of barium ions and sulfate ions will be equal to the solubility product constant at equilibrium. Therefore, the equilibrium constant (K) for the reaction is:
K = [BaSO4]/[Ba^2+] [SO4^2-] = Ksp/[Ba^2+][SO4^2-]
Substituting the value of Ksp for barium sulfate, which is 1.1 x 10^-10 at 25°C, we get:
K = 1.1 x 10^-10 /[Ba^2+][SO4^2-]
Note that the value of K depends on the temperature of the reaction and may change with changes in temperature.
Ba^2(aq) + SO4^2-(aq) → BaSO4(s)
can be expressed as follows:
K = [BaSO4]/[Ba^2+] [SO4^2-]
where [BaSO4], [Ba^2+], and [SO4^2-] are the molar concentrations (in mol/L) of barium sulfate, barium ions, and sulfate ions, respectively, at equilibrium.
Since barium sulfate is a solid, its concentration is considered to be constant and is therefore not included in the equilibrium expression. The solubility product constant (Ksp) of barium sulfate can be used to determine its concentration as follows:
Ksp = [Ba^2+][SO4^2-]
Assuming that all of the barium sulfate dissolves in water and dissociates completely to produce barium ions and sulfate ions, the equilibrium concentration of barium ions and sulfate ions will be equal to the solubility product constant at equilibrium. Therefore, the equilibrium constant (K) for the reaction is:
K = [BaSO4]/[Ba^2+] [SO4^2-] = Ksp/[Ba^2+][SO4^2-]
Substituting the value of Ksp for barium sulfate, which is 1.1 x 10^-10 at 25°C, we get:
K = 1.1 x 10^-10 /[Ba^2+][SO4^2-]
Note that the value of K depends on the temperature of the reaction and may change with changes in temperature.
What is the position of equilibrium
The position of equilibrium refers to the relative concentrations of reactants and products in a reversible reaction when the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal. At equilibrium, the concentrations of the reactants and products remain constant, although they may not be equal. The position of equilibrium is determined by the equilibrium constant (K), which is a constant value at a specific temperature and pressure. If the equilibrium constant is small, it means that the concentration of the products is relatively low, and the reaction favors the reactants. If the equilibrium constant is large, it means that the concentration of the products is relatively high, and the reaction favors the products. If the equilibrium constant is close to 1, it means that the concentrations of the reactants and products are approximately equal, and the reaction is balanced. The position of equilibrium can be shifted by changing the temperature, pressure, or concentration of the reactants or products.