In the reaction: 2SO2(g) + O2(g) ⇌ 2SO3(g), what effect does increasing the pres

₹0.0

Question: In the reaction: 2SO2(g) + O2(g) ⇌ 2SO3(g), what effect does increasing the pressure have? (2020)

Options:

Correct Answer: Shifts equilibrium to the right

Exam Year: 2020

Solution:

Increasing the pressure shifts the equilibrium towards the side with fewer moles of gas. In this case, it shifts to the right, producing more SO3.

In the reaction: 2SO2(g) + O2(g) ⇌ 2SO3(g), what effect does increasing the pressure have? (2020)

In the reaction: 2SO2(g) + O2(g) ⇌ 2SO3(g), what effect does increasing the pressure have? (2020)

Step 1: Identify the reaction: 2SO2(g) + O2(g) ⇌ 2SO3(g).
Step 2: Count the number of gas molecules on each side of the reaction.
Step 3: On the left side (reactants), there are 2 SO2 and 1 O2, totaling 3 gas molecules.
Step 4: On the right side (products), there are 2 SO3, totaling 2 gas molecules.
Step 5: Understand that increasing pressure in a reaction favors the side with fewer gas molecules.
Step 6: Since the right side has fewer gas molecules (2) compared to the left side (3), increasing pressure will shift the equilibrium to the right.
Step 7: This shift to the right means more SO3 will be produced.

Le Chatelier's Principle – This principle states that if an external change is applied to a system at equilibrium, the system will adjust to counteract that change.
Mole Count in Gaseous Reactions – Understanding how to count the number of moles of gas on each side of a chemical equation is crucial for predicting the effect of pressure changes.