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Reversible Reactions

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Aathifa Thowfeek
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11 views6 pages

Reversible Reactions

Uploaded by

Aathifa Thowfeek
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Reversible Reactions

Reversible reactions: A reaction that can occur in both directions (the products can react to produce
the original reactants again).

Chemical equations for reversible reactions:

When writing chemical equations for reversible reactions, two arrows are used, each with just half an
arrowhead – the top one-point right, and the bottom one pointing left:

Dehydration of Hydrated Copper (II) Sulfate:

Hydrous Copper (II) Sulfate ⇌ Anhydrous Copper (II) Sulfate + Water

The dehydration of Hydrated Copper (II) Sulfate

Explanation:

When anhydrous copper (II) sulfate crystals are added with water they turn blue and heat is given off,
this reaction is reversible:

When Copper (II) Sulfate crystals are heated in a test tube, the blue crystals turn into a white powder
and a clear, colourless liquid (water) collects at the top of the test tube.

The form of Copper (II) Sulfate in the crystals is known as Hydrated Copper (II) Sulfate because it
contains water of crystallisation.

When Hydrated Copper (II) Sulfate is heated, it loses its water of crystallisation and turns into
anhydrous Copper (II) Sulfate:

CuSO4.5H2O (s) ⇌ CuSO4 (s) + 5H2O (l)


Thermal Decomposition of Ammonium Chloride:

Ammonium Chloride ⇌ Ammonia + Hydrogen Chloride

The thermal decomposition of Ammonium Chloride

Explanation:

If Ammonium Chloride is heated in a test tube, the white crystals disappear from the bottom of the
tube and reappear further up. In between there is a colourless gas.

Heating Ammonium Chloride decomposes it into the colourless gases Ammonia, NH3, and Hydrogen
Chloride, HCl:

CNH4Cl (s) ⇌ NH3 (g) + HCl (g)


Dynamic Equilibrium

Reversible reaction: A reaction that is occurring in both directions.

Dynamic equilibrium: The condition that exists in a sealed container when the rate of the forward
and backward reactions in a reversible reaction mixture are equal

Example: The reaction between hydrogen gas and nitrogen gas to make ammonia:

 When only Nitrogen and Hydrogen are present at the beginning of the reaction, the rate of the
forward reaction is at its highest, since the concentrations of Hydrogen and Nitrogen are at
their highest.
 As the reaction proceeds, the concentrations of Hydrogen and Nitrogen gradually decreases,
so the rate of forward reaction will decrease. However, the concentration of Ammonia is
gradually increasing and so the rate of the backward reaction will increase (Ammonia will
decompose to reform hydrogen and nitrogen).
 Since the two reactions are interlinked and none of the gas can escape, the rate of the forward
reaction and the rate of the backward reaction will eventually become equal:

3H2 (g) + N2 (g) ⇌ 2NH3 (g)

Conditions of Dynamic Equilibrium


 Forward and backward reactions occur at the same rate
 Concentrations of reactants and products remain constant
 Both forward and backward reactions are occurring

Diagram:

When the rates of forward and backward reactions become equal


Effect of Catalyst on Equilibrium Position
Catalyst: A substance that increases the rate of a reaction, but is chemically unchanged at the end of
the reaction.

Position of equilibrium: the concentration of reactant and products at the equilibrium state.

 When the position of equilibrium shifts to the left, it means the concentration of reactant
increases.
 When the position of equilibrium shifts to right, this means the concentration of product
increases.

Effect of catalyst on equilibrium position:

 A catalyst will not affect the position of equilibrium


 This is because the catalyst increases the rate of both the forward and backward reactions by
the same amount (by providing an alternative pathway requiring lower activation energy)
 As a result, the concentration of reactants and products is nevertheless the same at
equilibrium as it would be without the catalyst

Diagram:

The effect of catalyst on equilibrium position


Le Chatelier’s Principle

“When a reversible reaction is in equilibrium and you make a change, it will do what it can to oppose
that change.”

This is used to predict changes to the position of equilibrium when there are changes in temperature
or pressure.

Effects of Temperature

Example:

Iodine monochloride reacts reversibly with Chlorine to form Iodine trichloride.

ICl + Cl2 ⇌ ICl3

Dark Brown Yellow

When the equilibrium mixture is heated, it becomes darker brown in colour. Explain whether the
backward reaction is exothermic or endothermic:

 Equilibrium has shifted to the left as the colour dark brown means that more of ICI is
produced
 Increasing temperature moves the equilibrium in the endothermic direction
 so the backward reaction is endothermic
Effects of Pressure

Example:

Nitrogen Dioxide can form Dinitrogen Tetraoxide, a colourless gas

2NO2 ⇌ N2O4

Brown Gas Colourless Gas

Predict the effect of the increase in pressure on the position of equilibrium:

 Number of molecules of gas on the left = 2


 Number of molecules of gas on the right = 1
 An increase in pressure will cause equilibrium to shift in the direction that produces the
smaller number of molecules of gas
 so equilibrium shifts to the right

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