Significance of

Equilibrium
Constant
Equilibrium Constant (K)
 Provides information about equilibrium
mixture and the extent to which the
reaction has taken place
 K value shows how far a reaction
proceeds towards completion
 Allows calculating equilibrium
concentrations of products and reactants
Equilibrium Constant (K)
A large K value (K>>1), indicates that the
equilibrium position lies to the right and
the concentration of the products of the
forward reaction are greater than those
of the reactants.
 If K value is small (K<<1), the equilibrium
position lies to the left, and the
concentrations of the reactants
predominate over the products.
Consider the following
reaction

N2(g)+O2(g)⇌2NO(g)
Kp=[pNO]2/[pN2][pO2]
= 4.0 x 10 -31 at 200 C
 The extremely low equilibrium constant
value indicates that at this temperature,
only minute quantities of nitric oxide, NO,
are present at equilibrium and that the
reverse reaction is greatly favored. The
equilibrium position lies very far to the left,
which means the reaction hardly occurs
at all, which is just, as well, because we
live in a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere.
Consider the following
reaction

CO(g)+CL2(g)⇌COCL2(g)
Kc=[COCL2]2/[CO][CL2]
= 4.57 x 10 9
 Therelatively large value of Kc indicates
that the equilibrium concentration of
COCL2 is much greater than CO and CL2
and the synthesis of COCL2 is virtually
complete. The equilibrium lies to the right
and the formation of products is highly
favored.
 Using
the ideal gas equation and the equilibrium
constant expression, the relation between Kc and
Kp can be derived. The resulting formula is
Kp = Kc (RT) Δn [6.6]

Where: R= ideal gas constant, 0.082 L~ atm/ mol-K

T= temperature in K
Δn= number of moles product minus number of
moles reactants.
How to write Gas Equilibrium
Constants
 left side: reactants; right side: products
 Products: numerator;
Reactants: denominator
 Concentrations of the products and reactants
are always raised to the power of their
coefficient in the balanced chemical
equation
 If any of the products or reactants are solids
or liquids, their concentrations is equal to one
because they are pure substances.
Standard example of writing
Gas Equilibrium Constant:
Sample Problem 1
A. Calculate Kc and Predict the extent reaction
represented by the following equation,

2SO2(g) + O2 (g) ⇌ 2 SO3(g)

Experimental data at 853C, shows that the
equilibrium concentrations are as follows:
[SO2]= 3.6 x 10 -3 M
[ O2 ]= 6.1 x 10 -4 M
[SO3]= 1.0 x 10 -2 M
Solution:
Given: molar concentration of reactants and
products
Required: Kc and extent of reaction
Strategy: Write the equilibrium constant expression
and substitute the concentration values to solve for
Kc.
[SO3]2
Kc=
[SO2]2[ O2 ]
(1.0 x 10 −2 )2
=
(3.6 x 10 −3 )2 (6.1 x 10 −4 )
=1.26 x 10 4
:Since Kc is >>1, the reaction is
product favored at 852K
B. In another experiment involving the same reaction, 2.0
mol SO2 and 2.0 mol O2 are placed in 2.0L flask and
allowed to react at 1000K. When equilibrium is attained,
0.90 mol SO3 has been formed.

Calculate the equilibrium constant Kc and the extent of

reaction at this temperature.

Given:
2SO2 O2 2 SO3

Initial Conc’n 2mol/ 2L=1.0 2mol/ 2 L=1.0 0

Change -0.90 -0.90/2 + 0.90

Equil Conc’n 0.1 0.55 0.90

Required: Kc
Strategy: Write the equilibrium constant expression
and substitute the concentrations of reactants and
products when equilibrium is established.

[SO3]2
Kc=
[SO2]2[ O2 ]
(0.90)2
=
(0.1)2 (0.55)
=1.47 x 10 2
Since Kc >>1, there are
more products than
reactants
Sample Problem 2
A. The component of an equilibrium mixture at 27C
for the reactions,

H2(g) + I2 (g) ⇌ 2 HI (g)

are pH2 = 0.15atm, pl2 is 0.15atm, pHI is 0.5atm.

Calculate Kp and Kc for the reaction at 27C
Solution:
Given: equilibrium partial pressure of H2, I2 and HI at
27C
Required: Kp and Kc
Strategy: Write the equilibrium constant expression
for the reaction and substite the given partial
pressure and calculate Kp.
[pHI]2
Kp=
[pH2][ pI2]
(0.5)2
=
(0.15)2 (0.15)
=11.1
To calculate Kc, use the relation: Kp= Kc (RT) Δn

Substitute in the equation, Δn= 2-2=0

Kc= Kp/(RT) Δn
= 11.1/ [ (0.82 L-atm/ mol-K) (300 K)] ᵒ
= 11.1

Therefore, since Δn= 0, Kp= Kc

Sample Problem 3
For the reaction H2 (g) + CO 2 (g) ⇌ H20 (g) + CO (g)

Kc is 0.771 at 750ᵒC. If 0.0100 mol of H2 and 0.0100

mol of CO2 are mixed in a liter container at 750ᵒC,
what are the concentrations of all substance at
equilibrium?
Solution
Given:
[H2 ]= 0.0100 mol/ 1L
[CO 2 ]= 0.0100 mol/ 1L
Kc at 750 ᵒ C= 0.771
Required: equilibrium concentration of H2,
CO2,CO,H2O

Strategy: Assume X is the amount of H2O and CO

formed during the reaction,

H2 (g) CO 2 (g) H20 (g) CO (g)

Initial 0.0100 0.0100 0 0

Conc’n mol/L mol /L
Change -x -x +x +x

Equil 0.0100 -x 0.0100-x x x

Conc’n
Set up the equilibrium constant expression and
substitute the equilibrium concentrations:
H20 [CO ]
Kc=
[H2][CO 2]
x2
0.771 =
(0.01−x)2
x=0.00468 mol/L
At equilibrium: [H2 ]= [CO 2 ]= 0.0100- 0.00468=
0.00532 mol/ L
[H20] =[CO]= 0.00468 mol/L
 Theequilibrium constant is equal to the
rate constant for the forward reaction
divided by the rate constant for the
reverse reaction.
Quiz
 Whatis the significance of the Equilibrium
Constant? (Give 1)

A large K value (K>>1), indicates that the

equilibrium position lies more to the_____
and the products of the forward reaction
are _____ than those of the reactants.
Quiz
 N2 O 4is an important component of rocket fuel, At
25ᵒ C N2O4 is a colorless gas that partially
dissociates into NO2. The color of an equilibrium
mixture of these 2 gasses depends on their relative
proportions, which are dependent on temperature.
Equilibrium is established in the reaction N2O4(g) ⇌
2 NO2 (g)at 25 ᵒ C.
Given : [N2O4 ] = 0.0277 M
[NO2 ] = 0.0113 M
Find Kc and the extent of reaction.
(show your solution)