Virtual Lab Report

Equilibrium
This lab report is for you to reflect on what you completed and learned in this simulation, and to practice your
written scientific communication skills.

Sections

1. Describe the overall objective and make a hypothesis

2. Introduce relevant background knowledge on this topic
3. Summarize the steps taken in the simulation
4. Explain any obtained results
5. Discuss the conclusions and implications

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 1. Describe the overall objective and make a hypothesis.
What is the overall purpose of the experiments or activities? Make a hypothesis if applicable.

Hint: The purpose is often stated in the welcome message of the simulation.

The overall objective and purpose of the experiments or activities:

 To be able to determine the directionality of reversible reactions using Le Chatelier's

principle.
 To be able to calculate the equilibrium constant and reaction quotient.
 To be able to understand the Haber process.

Hypothesis:

I am going to assume that nitrogen can be a source of fertilizer that can help a scientist
prevent a global famine.

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 2. Introduce relevant background knowledge on this topic.
What have you learned in class or researched on your own that would help prepare for this simulation?

Hint: You can review the “THEORY” section in the simulation or at https://theory.labster.com/ if you need help.

The first concept that I have learned in class or researched on my own was all about the
Reversible reaction. Reversible reactions include the constant conversion of reactants (A+B) into
products (C+D) and vice versa. This indicates that the forward and backward reactions occur
simultaneously. In a chemical equation, double arrows represent the reversibility of a reaction.

The second concept that I have learned throughout the simulation was all about
equilibrium. Equilibrium is the condition of a reversible reaction in which both the forward and
backward reactions occur at equal rates.

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 The third concept that I have acquired in the simulation was the equilibrium constant. I
have learned that the composition of a reaction at equilibrium is measured by equilibrium constant
Kc. In an equilibrium reaction, its value is equal to the reaction quotient. The constant is obtained
by dividing the product concentration (or thermodynamic activity) by the reactant concentration.
Each species' concentration is raised to the power of its coefficient in the balanced chemical
equation.

The fourth concept that I have learned was all about the Le Chatelier's principle. The
concept asserts that if the conditions of an equilibrium are changed, the equilibrium will shift to
the left or right (reactant or product side) to compensate for the change. As a result, under various
conditions, a new equilibrium is produced. Energy is released during exothermic processes. As a
result, heat is considered a product in this circumstance. If we increase the amount of heat in the
system, the equilibrium will move to the reactant side to compensate for the increase in product. In
contrast, heat is considered a reactant in endothermic reactions since the reaction consumes
energy. As a result, raising the temperature causes the equilibrium to move to the right. I also
learned that if we increase the pressure, the equilibrium will move, allowing us to lower the
pressure once more. Thus, increasing the pressure will move the equilibrium to the side where the
number of moles is lower. Lastly, the equilibrium will move to the other side of the reaction
equation if the concentration of molecules on one side of the equation is increased. For example, if
we raise the reactant concentration, the equilibrium will move to the product side.
The fifth concept that I have learned throughout the simulation was all about the
reaction quotient. When compared to the equilibrium constant Kc, the reaction quotient Q can be
used to predict the directionality of a chemical reaction. It's computed in the same way as Kc.
The sixth concept that I have learned in the simulation was all about the essence of

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Catalysis. Catalysts provide an alternate pathway for a reaction with a lower activation energy,
allowing the reaction to proceed more quickly, as I have discovered. Catalysts can only raise the
pace of a process, not change its equilibrium. Without a catalyst, the reaction would continue in
the same direction, but at a slower rate. Reflected below, we can witness how a transition from one
energy state to another is a reaction from a substrate to a product. A catalyst lowers this energy
level, making it easier to achieve the transition energy, resulting in a faster reaction.

The seventh concept and probably the last learning I have acquired throughout the
simulation was all about the Haber process. In the simulation, I was introduced to Fritz Haber and
Carl Bosch which were the inventor of the said process. It was used to make fertilizer by fixing
nitrogen from the atmosphere. Under high temperature/pressure conditions, the catalyzed process
transforms nitrogen (N2) and hydrogen (H2) into ammonia (NH3) as reflected below.

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 3. Summarize the steps taken in the simulation.
Explain each step you completed including the equipment and techniques you used.

Hint: You can use the “MISSION” tab in the LabPad as inspiration.

The first step that I have completed was the introduction to the virtual laboratory. As
usual, safety precautions must be taken. In this step, I was introduced to the Chemical Equilibrium
simulation. The objectives for me to attain or accomplish were also discussed here which captures
my attention to assist a famous scientist in preventing a global famine.

The second step that I have completed was to discover regarding the ammonia
production in order to prevent a global famine in a few years due to a lack of natural nitrogen
supplies for our plants. Hence, generating ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen was one of the
solutions to solve the said problem. I can apply nitrogen directly to the soil in this liquified state.
However, because ammonia is frequently converted back to N2 and H2, yields are low. In the next
step, I will examine such a reaction to determine if I can influence the direction of its reaction.

The third step that I have completed was to learn how to tweak chemical equilibrium. It
is important to note first that forward and reverse reactions happen at equal rates. In the
simulation, I discovered that each ‘explosion’ represents one transformation of N 2O4 to NO2 or the
other way round. N2O4 is transparent and NO2 is brown. Because NO2 makes up about a third of
the molecules in my syringe, the liquid in the syringe is light-brown in color. Observing the

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screen, I noticed that the concentrations of products and reactants are stable, but not necessarily
equal, in an equilibrium. I can compute the equilibrium constant Kc if I know the concentrations of
the reactant and product at equilibrium. It tells me how far the chemical reaction has progressed. In
my case, Kc is computed by dividing the product concentration by the reactant concentration. The
concentration of each chemical is raised to the power of that chemical's coefficient in the balanced
chemical equation.

The fourth step that I have completed was to try the various experiments and predict the
directionality of the reaction. The first experiment that I performed was to see how high heat
affects the contents of the syringe. As a result of my observation, I noticed that most of the N 2O4,
is converted to NO2 after heating. This is according to Le Chatelier's principle, heating favors the
forward reaction in endothermic reactions. Because the concentration of products is now higher, I
can say that the equilibrium has shifted to the right. When I return the syringe to room
temperature, the NO2 is converted back to N2O4, and the process repeats until equilibrium is
attained. The second experiment that I have executed was to put the syringe into liquid nitrogen. I
noticed that in here, most of the NO2 is converted to N2O4. The back reaction is favored under
these conditions; hence the equilibrium is shifted to the reactant side. The equilibrium now lies to
the left. Because the concentration of brown NO 2 in the liquid nitrogen tank is close to zero, I
expected the color of the syringe inside the liquid nitrogen tank would be transparent. The syringe
is now filled with colorless N2O4. Lastly for the third experiment that I did, I was tasked to click on
the plunger while the syringe is in its rack to increase the pressure in the syringe. Afterward, I have
observed that the concentration of both gases increases immediately after I press the plunger. This
is because the color intensifies as the concentration of gases increases and the molecules are
squeezed into a smaller volume.

The fifth step and probably the last step that I have completed was to apply the learned
concepts on the Haber process to improve the ammonia yields. To assemble the apparatus, I pick
up the combustion tube and place it in an empty slot in an apparatus. When I switch on the gas,
bubbles should appear in the gas washing bottles on the left. To start the reaction, I must supply

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both nitrogen and hydrogen to the apparatus by enabling the gas flow and provide the heat using a
Bunsen burner. When in contact with ammonia, the indicator inside the gas washing bottle on the
right changes color. I noticed that the presence of ammonia stained the indicator fluid pink which
means that I am producing NH3 from N2 and H2. Afterward, I use a catalyst to speed up the rate at
which the reaction reaches equilibrium. Steel wool is used as a catalyst in the experiment.
Unfortunately, the catalyst used in the Haber process works best at high temperatures. As a result,
I'll need to heat up the combustion tube. At the beginning of the experiment, Q is smaller than Kc,
thus the forward reaction is favored. If the concentration of reactants is higher than the
concentration of products, the forward reaction is favored and the yields are high.

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 4. Describe any obtained results.
Explain any obtained results. Were these results expected or unexpected?

Hint: You can use the “MEDIA” tab in the Lab Pad to find relevant images from the simulation. You can also take
screenshots while you are playing the simulation.

My obtained result in Paz's ammonia production is that she only has to increase the
pressure and keep the temperature as low as possible in her experimental setup. As what I have
concluded that the greater the temperature, the lower the yields, yet the catalyst requires high
temperatures to function. That is why we will increase the pressure in order to move the
equilibrium to the right. These outcomes are, as usual, expected unless you make a mistake.

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 5. Discuss the conclusions and implications.
How do your results relate back to the original purpose and your hypothesis? Were there any systematic sources of
error that could have affected the results? What did you learn? What is the importance of these findings and how
can you apply them to other real world situations?

The results relate back to the original purpose and hypothesis by proving it through an
experiment. There we can see the results on how the directionality of reversible reactions
according to Le Chatelier. We can also conclude that there is a way of generating ammonia from
nitrogen and hydrogen. There were no any systematic sources of error that could have influenced
the results unless if you’re working it carelessly and make some sort of errors. But in my case, I
am very cautious enough not to make any mistake in this virtual laboratory.

I greatly learned important information that will enable me to be prepared in the face-to-
face setup. The cooling, pressure, temperature and catalyst can affect chemical equilibrium. The
effect of temperature on reaction rates can be also explained by using the molecular-collision
concept.

The importance of these findings can help us reduce or prevent the global famine by this
discovery where nitrogen from ammonia can be a fertilizer since the natural nitrogen sources for
our plants are slowly depleting. I am amazed to know that catalyst are extremely important for the
proper functioning of the human body and other biochemical systems.

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