In the reaction CO(g) + 2H2(g) ⇌ CH3OH(g), what will happen if the volume of the container is decreased?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
In the reaction CO(g) + 2H2(g) ⇌ CH3OH(g), what will happen if the volume of the container is decreased?
Shift to the right
Shift to the left
No change
Increase in temperature
Decreasing the volume increases the pressure, which shifts the equilibrium to the side with fewer moles of gas, favoring the production of CH3OH.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: In the reaction CO(g) + 2H2(g) ⇌ CH3OH(g), what will happen if the volume of the container is decreased?
Solution: Decreasing the volume increases the pressure, which shifts the equilibrium to the side with fewer moles of gas, favoring the production of CH3OH.
Steps: 7
Step 1: Understand the reaction: CO(g) + 2H2(g) ⇌ CH3OH(g). This means carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas react to form methanol gas.
Step 2: Recognize that gases occupy space in a container. If we decrease the volume of the container, the gases inside are compressed.
Step 3: Know that compressing the gases increases the pressure inside the container.
Step 4: According to Le Chatelier's principle, if the pressure changes, the equilibrium will shift to counteract that change.
Step 5: Identify the number of moles of gas on each side of the reaction: the left side has 3 moles (1 CO + 2 H2) and the right side has 1 mole (1 CH3OH).
Step 6: Since the right side has fewer moles of gas, the equilibrium will shift to the right to reduce the pressure.
Step 7: Therefore, decreasing the volume will favor the production of CH3OH.
