AQA Chemistry A-Level - The Equilibrium Constant QP PhysicsAndMathsTutor.

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Q1.
This question is about the equilibrium

2 SO2(g) + O2(g) ⇌ 2 SO3(g)

(a) State and explain the effect, if any, of a decrease in overall pressure on the
equilibrium yield of SO3

Effect ______________________________________________________

Explanation _________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________
(3)

(b) A 0.460 mol sample of SO2 is mixed with a 0.250 mol sample of O2 in a
sealed container at a constant temperature.
When equilibrium is reached at a pressure of 215 kPa, the mixture contains
0.180 mol of SO3

Calculate the partial pressure, in kPa, of SO2 in this equilibrium mixture.

Partial pressure of SO2 _______________ kPa

(4)

(c) A different mixture of SO2 and O2 reaches equilibrium at a different

temperature.

The table below shows the partial pressures of the gases at equilibrium.

Gas Partial pressure / kPa

SO2 1.67 × 102

O2 1.02 × 102

SO3 1.85 × 102

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Give an expression for the equilibrium constant (Kp) for this reaction.

Calculate the value of the equilibrium constant for this reaction and give its
units.

Kp

Kp _______________

Units __________
(3)

(d) What is the effect on the value of Kp if the pressure of this equilibrium
mixture is increased at a constant temperature?

2 SO2(g) + O2(g) ⇌ 2 SO3(g)

Tick (✓) one box.

The value of Kp

increases.

stays the same.

decreases.

(1)
(Total 11 marks)

Q2.
Methanol can be manufactured in a reversible reaction as shown.

CO(g) + 2 H2(g) ⇌ CH3OH(g) ΔHө = –91 kJ mol–1

The graph below shows how the partial pressures change with time at a constant
temperature.

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(a) Draw a cross (x) on the appropriate axis of the graph when the mixture
reaches equilibrium.
(1)

(b) A 0.230 mol sample of carbon monoxide is mixed with hydrogen in a 1:2
mol ratio and allowed to reach equilibrium in a sealed flask at temperature
T.
At equilibrium the mixture contains 0.120 mol of carbon monoxide.
The total pressure of this mixture is 1.04 × 104 kPa

Calculate the partial pressure, in kPa, of hydrogen in the equilibrium

mixture.

Partial pressure of hydrogen _______________ kPa

(4)

(c) Give an expression for the equilibrium constant (Kp) for this reaction.

State the units.

Kp

Units _______________
(2)

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(d) Some more carbon monoxide is added to the mixture in part (b). The new
mixture is allowed to reach equilibrium at temperature T.

State the effect, if any, on the partial pressure of methanol and on the
value of Kp

Effect on partial pressure of methanol __________________________

Effect on value of Kp ________________________________________

(2)

(e) State the effect, if any, of the addition of a catalyst on the value of Kp for
this equilibrium.
Explain your answer.

Effect on value of Kp _________________________________________

Explanation
__________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 11 marks)

Q3.
Sulfur trioxide decomposes on heating to form an equilibrium mixture containing
sulfur dioxide and oxygen.

2 SO3(g) ⇌ 2 SO2(g) + O2(g)

(a) A sample of sulfur trioxide was heated and allowed to reach equilibrium at
a given temperature.
The equilibrium mixture contained 6.08 g of sulfur dioxide.

Calculate the mass, in g, of oxygen gas in the equilibrium mixture.

Mass ___________________________ g
(2)

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(b) A different mass of sulfur trioxide was heated and allowed to reach
equilibrium at 1050 K

2 SO3(g) ⇌ 2 SO2(g) + O2(g)

The amounts of each substance in the equilibrium mixture are shown in the
table.

Substance Amount at equilibrium / mol

sulfur trioxide 0.320

sulfur dioxide 1.20

oxygen 0.600

For this reaction at 1050 K the equilibrium constant, Kp = 7.62 x 105 Pa

Calculate the mole fraction of each substance at equilibrium.

Give the expression for the equilibrium constant, Kp
Calculate the total pressure, in Pa, of this equilibrium mixture.

Mole fraction SO3 _________________________

Mole fraction SO2 _________________________

Mole fraction O2 _________________________

Kp

Total pressure _________________________ Pa

(4)

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(c) For this reaction at 1050 K the equilibrium constant, Kp = 7.62 x 105 Pa
For this reaction at 500 K the equilibrium constant, Kp = 3.94 x 104 Pa

Explain how this information can be used to deduce that the forward
reaction is endothermic.

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________
(2)

(d) Use data from part (c) to calculate the value of Kp, at 500 K, for the
equilibrium represented by this equation.
Deduce the units of Kp

Kp _________________________

Units _________________________
(2)
(Total 10 marks)

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Q4.
Nitrogen reacts with hydrogen in this exothermic reaction

N2(g) + 3 H2(g) ⇌ 2 NH3(g)

Which change increases the equilibrium yield of ammonia but has no effect on
the value of the equilibrium constant Kp?

A Add a catalyst

B Increase the partial pressure of

nitrogen
C Decrease the temperature

D Decrease the total pressure

(Total 1 mark)

Q5.
Nitrogen and hydrogen were mixed in a 1:3 mole ratio and left to reach
equilibrium in a flask at a temperature of 550 K. The equation for the reaction
between nitrogen and hydrogen is shown.

N2(g) + 3H2(g) ⇌ 2NH3(g)

(a) When equilibrium was reached, the total pressure in the flask was 150 kPa
and the mole fraction of NH3(g) in the mixture was 0.80

Calculate the partial pressure of each gas in this equilibrium mixture.

Partial pressure of nitrogen ____________________ kPa

Partial pressure of hydrogen ____________________ kPa

Partial pressure of ammonia ____________________ kPa

(3)

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(b) Give an expression for the equilibrium constant (Kp) for this reaction.

Kp

(1)

(c) In a different equilibrium mixture, under different conditions, the partial

pressures of the gases are shown in the table.

Gas Partial pressure / kPa

N2 1.20 × 102

H2 1.50 × 102

NH3 1.10 × 103

Calculate the value of the equilibrium constant (Kp) for this reaction and
give its units.

Kp ____________________ Units ____________________

(2)

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(d) The enthalpy change for the reaction is –92 kJ mol–1

State the effect, if any, of an increase in temperature on the value of Kp for

this reaction.
Justify your answer.

Effect on Kp
_________________________________________________________

Justification _________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 9 marks)

Q6.
Which statement about Kp is correct for this reaction in the gas phase?

W + X + Y2 ⇌ WXY + Y ΔH = −46 kJ mol−1

A The value of Kp is independent of pressure.

The value of Kp increases as pressure

B
increases.

The value of Kp increases as temperature

C
increases.

The value of Kp is independent of

D
temperature.
(Total 1 mark)

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Q7.
Many chemical processes release waste products into the atmosphere.
Scientists are developing new solid catalysts to convert more efficiently these
emissions into useful products, such as fuels. One example is a catalyst to
convert these emissions into methanol. The catalyst is thought to work by
breaking a H–H bond.

An equation for this formation of methanol is given below.

CO2(g) + 3H2(g) CH3OH(g) + H2O(g) ∆H = −49 kJ mol−1

Some mean bond enthalpies are shown in the following table.

Bond C=O C–H C–O O–H

Mean bond enthalpy / kJ mol−1 743 412 360 463

(a) Use the enthalpy change for the reaction and data from the table to
calculate a value for the H–H bond enthalpy.

H–H bond enthalpy = _______________ kJ mol−1

(3)

(b) A data book value for the H–H bond enthalpy is 436 kJ mol−1.

Suggest one reason why this value is different from your answer to part
(a).

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________
(1)

(c) Suggest one environmental advantage of manufacturing methanol fuel by

this reaction.

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________
(1)

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(d) Use Le Chatelier's principle to justify why the reaction is carried out at a
high pressure rather than at atmospheric pressure.

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________
(3)

(e) Suggest why the catalyst used in this process may become less efficient if
the carbon dioxide and hydrogen contain impurities.

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________
(1)

(f) In a laboratory experiment to investigate the reaction shown in the

equation below, 1.0 mol of carbon dioxide and 3.0 mol of hydrogen were
sealed into a container. After the mixture had reached equilibrium, at a
pressure of 500 kPa, the yield of methanol was 0.86 mol.

CO2(g) + 3H2(g) CH3OH(g) + H2O(g)

Calculate a value for Kp

Give your answer to the appropriate number of significant figures.
Give units with your answer.

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AQA Chemistry A-Level - The Equilibrium Constant QP PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

Kp = _______________ Units = _______________

(7)
(Total 16 marks)

Q8.
Which change would alter the value of the equilibrium constant (Kp) for this
reaction?

2SO2(g) + O2(g) 2SO3(g)

A Increasing the total pressure of the system.

B Increasing the concentration of sulfur trioxide.

C Increasing the concentration of sulfur dioxide.

D Increasing the temperature.

(Total 1 mark)

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