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Ch.14 - Chemical Kinetics
Chapter 14, Problem 56a

Ammonia is manufactured in large amounts by the reaction
N2(g) + 3 H2(g) → 2 NH3(g)
(a) How is the rate of consumption of H2 related to the rate of consumption of N2?

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1
Step 1: Understand the reaction. The balanced chemical equation given is N<sub>2</sub>(g) + 3 H<sub>2</sub>(g) → 2 NH<sub>3</sub>(g). This tells us that one molecule of nitrogen reacts with three molecules of hydrogen to form two molecules of ammonia.
Step 2: Understand the concept of reaction rate. The rate of a reaction is the speed at which reactants are consumed or products are formed. It is usually expressed in terms of change in concentration of a reactant or product per unit time.
Step 3: Relate the rate of consumption of reactants. The stoichiometry of the reaction tells us that for every one molecule of N<sub>2</sub> that reacts, three molecules of H<sub>2</sub> are consumed. Therefore, the rate of consumption of H<sub>2</sub> is three times the rate of consumption of N<sub>2</sub>.
Step 4: Express the relationship mathematically. If we denote the rate of consumption of N<sub>2</sub> as -d[N<sub>2</sub>]/dt and the rate of consumption of H<sub>2</sub> as -d[H<sub>2</sub>]/dt, then according to the stoichiometry of the reaction, -d[H<sub>2</sub>]/dt = 3(-d[N<sub>2</sub>]/dt).
Step 5: Interpret the result. This means that for every unit of time, the amount of H<sub>2</sub> consumed is three times the amount of N<sub>2</sub> consumed.

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Key Concepts

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

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the quantitative relationships between the reactants and products in a chemical reaction. In the given reaction, the coefficients indicate that one mole of nitrogen (N₂) reacts with three moles of hydrogen (H₂) to produce two moles of ammonia (NH₃). This relationship allows us to determine how the consumption rates of the reactants are related.
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Reaction Rates

The rate of a chemical reaction refers to the speed at which reactants are converted into products. It can be expressed in terms of the change in concentration of a reactant or product over time. In this case, understanding how the rate of consumption of H₂ relates to N₂ involves applying the stoichiometric coefficients to express their rates in a proportional manner.
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Rate Law

The rate law is an equation that relates the rate of a reaction to the concentration of its reactants. While the question focuses on stoichiometric relationships, knowing that the rate of consumption of H₂ is three times that of N₂ (due to the coefficients in the balanced equation) is essential for understanding how changes in concentration affect the overall reaction rate.
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