Chemistry 12 – Unit 2 Equilibrium

Name __________________________ Block: _______ Date: _____________________

Chemistry 12
Investigating Chemical Equilibrium

The chemical reactions you have studied to this point have proceeded to completion. However,
many reactions proceed only to a state of equilibrium, where both reactants and products exist
together. This results from some of the product molecules having sufficient energy to reform the
reactants in a reverse reaction. A state of equilibrium is established when the rates of the forward
and reverse reactions are equal. Although both reactions continue to occur, there is no net change
in the observable properties (called macroscopic properties) such as concentration, pressure (for
gases) or colour intensity of a coloured solution. In a reversible reaction, constant macroscopic
properties (including temperature) indicate that equilibrium is present.
Any change to the conditions at equilibrium, such as concentration, pressure or temperature, is
said to produce a stress on the equilibrium. Le Châtelier’s principle allows us to predict the
effects of such a stress. The stress produces a shift in the system that attempts to counteract the
imposed stress and a new equilibrium is established. The macroscopic properties of the system
change, until they become constant once more as the new equilibrium is reached
You will study three different equilibrium systems involving ions in solution. The first system is
the conversion of the indicator bromcresol green from its blue form to its yellow form. Its
structure is rather complex so the formula is simplified as HBcg. The extent to which the forward
reaction is favoured depends upon the concentration of the hydrogen ions in solution:
HBcg (yellow form) ⇄ Bcg⁻ (blue form) + H⁺
“Acid” “Base”
The second system involves the light yellow iron(III) iron, Fe3+, and colourless thiocyanate ion,
SCN⁻. They react together to form the complex ion FeSCN2+ which exhibits a blood-red colour:
Fe3+(aq) + SCN⁻(aq) ⇄ FeSCN2+(aq)
The effect of changing the concentrations of the reactant ions will be studied.
The last system (Part III) involves the equilibrium between hydrated copper(II) ion, Cu(H2O)42+,
and the tetramminocopper(II) ion, Cu(NH3)42+, in which the water molecules have been replaced
with NH3 molecules. The effect of acid and of NH3 on this equilibrium will be examined.

Objectives:
1. to recognize the macroscopic properties of three chemical systems at equilibrium
2. to observe shifts in equilibrium concentrations as stresses of concentration changes are
applied to the systems
3. to explain the observations obtained by applying Le Châtelier’s principle

Chemistry 12 Page 1 of 4 pages

Chemistry 12 – Unit 2 Equilibrium

Materials:
Equipment Chemical Reagents
5 test tubes (13 mm x 100 mm) bromcresol green 0.1M CuSO4
test tube rack 0.01M HCl 1M NH3
graduated cylinder (10 mL) 0.01M NaOH
beaker (250 mL) 0.2M FeCl3 Reagent Disposal:
2 beakers (100 mL) 0.2M KSCN All solutions may be
2 Erlenmeyer flasks (250 mL) 0.2M KCl safely rinsed down
lab apron 1M NaOH the sink with plenty
safety goggles 1M HCl of water.

Procedure:
Part 1: Equilibrium involving bromcresol green
1. Put on your lab apron and safety goggles.
2. Obtain 2 clean, empty, dry 250 mL Erlenmeyer flasks. Add approximately 50 mL of water
and 10 drops of bromcresol green solution to each flask. Record the colour of this solution.
3. To the first flask add a single drop of 0.01M HCl. Swirl
CAUTION: The hydrochloric
the contents of the flask and continue the drop-by-drop
acid and sodium hydroxide
addition until a definite colour change is observed. The
solutions are corrosive to skin,
second flask will serve as a control. Compare the solution
eyes and clothing. Wash any
colours. Record the new colour and the number of drops spills and splashes with plenty
required for this change in your copy of Table 1. of water. Call your instructor.
4. Continue the drop-by-drop addition of 0.01M HCl to the
first flask until a second colour shift occurs. Compare with the control and record the new
colour change and number of drops required for this change in Table 1.
5. Now add 0.01M NaOH drop by drop in the first flask until a definite colour change is
observed. Record the colour change and number of drops required in your data table.
6. Continue the drop-by-drop addition of 0.01M NaOH until the colour changes again. Record
the colour change and number of drops required.

Part 2: Equilibrium involving thiocyanatoiron(III) ion Note that 13 mm x 100 mm

1. Add 1 mL of 0.2M FeCl3 to a 1 mL portion of 0.2M KSCN test tubes will hold 10 mL
in a test tube. Note the colour change as the reaction occurs. of liquid. Therefore, a
volume of 1 mL or 3 mL
2. Transfer the contents of the tube to a 250 mL beaker and add
can be estimated as 1 cm or
water to dilute the intensity of the colour until the solution is
3 cm in depth.
light orange, to make subsequent changes easier to see.
3. Pour 5 mL of this solution into each of 5 separate test tubes labeled A to E. Nothing will be
added to test tube A – it will serve as a control for comparison with the subsequent colours.
4. For each of the following reactions (Steps 5-8) record the results in Table 2. To record the
“stress” involved, state which ion in the original equilibrium changed concentration and
whether this change was an increase of a decrease.

Chemistry 12 Page 2 of 4 pages

Chemistry 12 – Unit 2 Equilibrium

5. To test tube B, add 10 drops of 0.2M KSCN.

6. To test tube C, add 10 drops of 0.2M FeCl3.
7. To test tube D, add 10 drops of 0.2M KCl.
8. To test tube E, add 10 drops of 1M NaOH.

Part 3: Equilibrium involving copper(II) complexes

1. Place 2 mL of 0.1M CuSO4 in a 13 mm x 100 mm test
tube. CAUTION: Copper
compounds are poisonous. Do
2. Add 3 drops of 1M NH3 and observe the result not get any in your mouth; do
3. Continue adding 1M NH3 until another change occurs not swallow any. Ammonia
solution is corrosive. Keep it
4. Add 1M HCl drop by drop until a change occurs. Record off your skin and out of your
your observations in Table 3. eyes. Avoid breathing its
5. Clean up all of your materials. fumes. Wash any spills and
splashes with plenty of water.
6. Before you leave the laboratory, wash your hands
thoroughly with soap and water and wipe down your lab
table.

Post Lab Considerations:

The equilibrium system in Part 1 contains H⁺ ions and therefore can be affected by the addition of
any reagent changing the concentration of H⁺. H⁺ ions are present in acid solutions and OH⁻ ions
are present in solutions of bases. Since H⁺ will react with OH⁻ to form water, addition of a base
affects this equilibrium by removing ions.
In Part 2, the formation of FeSCN2+ gave such an intense colour that diluting the solution with
water was necessary to enable small changes in the equilibrium to be observed more readily. In
explaining your observations for this equilibrium, remember that spectator ions do not participate
in the reaction. In step 8, a precipitate of Fe(OH)3 was formed. In explaining your results, analyze
how this reaction will affect the concentration of Fe3+ in the equilibrium solution.
The equilibrium in Part 3 initially involves the formation of OH⁻ ions in NH3 solution:
NH3(aq) + H2O(l) ⇄ NH4⁺(aq) + OH⁻(aq)
The OH ions then react with Cu2+(aq) to give a precipitate of Cu(OH)2.
Cu2+(aq) + 2OH⁻(aq) Cu(OH)2(s)
When more NH3 was added, NH3 molecules replaced H2O in Cu2+(aq):
Cu(H2O)42+(aq) 4NH3 ⇄ Cu(NH3)42+(aq) + 4H2O(l)
H⁺ ions can react with NH3 to give NH4⁺; therefore, the equilibrium shifts in response to this
change.

Chemistry 12 Page 3 of 4 pages

Chemistry 12 – Unit 2 Equilibrium

Experimental Results:
Part 1: Equilibrium involving bromcresol green
Initial colour of bromcresol green in water: ____________________________
Table 1
Colour change &
Direction of
Reagent added Stress number of drops
equilibrium shift
required
HCl (step 3)
More HCl (step 4)
NaOH (step 5)
More NaOH (step 6)

Part 2: Equilibrium involving thiocyanatoiron(III) ion

Table 2
Direction of
Reagent added Stress Colour observation
equilibrium shift
KSCN (test tube B)
FeCl3 (test tube C)
KCl (test tube D)
NaOH (test tube E)

Part 3: Equilibrium involving copper(II) complexes

Colour change of initial reaction _________________________________________
Table 3
0.1 M CuSO4 + 3 drops NH3 + more NH3 1M HCl added
Appearance

Analysis of Results:
1. In Part 1, how would increasing the molarity of the NaOH solution from 0.01M to 0.1M
affect the number of drops required for the observed colour changes?
2. Apply Le Châtelier’s principle to explain the results obtained when 1M NaOH was
introduced into the iron(III) thiocyanate ion equilibrium system.
3. Explain the cause of the colour change observed when HCl was added to the complex ion
Cu(NH3)42+ in Part 3.

Chemistry 12 Page 4 of 4 pages