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Ch.15 - Chemical Equilibrium
Chapter 15, Problem 65a

Consider the following equilibrium between oxides of nitrogen 3 NO(g) ⇌ NO2(g) + N2O(g) (a) At constant temperature, would a change in the volume of the container affect the fraction of products in the equilibrium mixture?

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Le Chatelier's Principle

Le Chatelier's Principle states that if a dynamic equilibrium is disturbed by changing the conditions, the system will adjust to counteract the change and restore a new equilibrium. In the context of gas reactions, changes in volume can affect the concentrations of reactants and products, prompting the system to shift in a direction that minimizes the effect of the change.
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Equilibrium Constant (K)

The equilibrium constant (K) is a numerical value that expresses the ratio of the concentrations of products to reactants at equilibrium for a given reaction at a specific temperature. For the reaction 3 NO(g) ⇌ NO<sub>2</sub>(g) + N<sub>2</sub>O(g), the equilibrium constant can help predict how changes in volume or pressure will affect the concentrations of the gases involved.
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Gas Laws and Volume Changes

Gas laws describe the behavior of gases under various conditions of pressure, volume, and temperature. According to Boyle's Law, decreasing the volume of a gas increases its pressure, which can shift the equilibrium position of a reaction involving gases. Understanding how volume changes impact gas behavior is crucial for predicting the outcome of equilibrium reactions.
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