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Ch.14 - Chemical Kinetics
Chapter 14, Problem 56

Ammonia is manufactured in large amounts by the reaction N21g2 + 3 H21g2S 2 NH31g2 (b) How is the rate of formation of NH3 related to the rate of consumption of N2?

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1
Identify the balanced chemical equation for the reaction: N2(g) + 3 H2(g) → 2 NH3(g).
Note the stoichiometric coefficients from the balanced equation: 1 mole of N2 reacts with 3 moles of H2 to produce 2 moles of NH3.
Understand that the rate of reaction is based on the consumption of reactants or the formation of products over time.
Relate the rate of formation of NH3 to the rate of consumption of N2 by using the stoichiometric coefficients. Since 1 mole of N2 produces 2 moles of NH3, the rate of formation of NH3 is twice the rate of consumption of N2.
Express the relationship mathematically: Rate of formation of NH3 = 2 × (Rate of consumption of N2).

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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). Understanding stoichiometry allows us to relate the rates of formation and consumption of substances in the reaction.
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Reaction Rate

The reaction rate is a measure of how quickly reactants are converted into products in a chemical reaction. It can be expressed in terms of the change in concentration of a reactant or product over time. In this context, the rate of formation of NH3 and the rate of consumption of N2 can be compared using their stoichiometric coefficients to understand how they relate to each other.
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Rate Law

The rate law is an equation that relates the rate of a chemical reaction to the concentration of its reactants. It provides insight into how changes in concentration affect the speed of the reaction. For the reaction in question, the rate of formation of NH3 can be expressed in terms of the rate of consumption of N2, allowing us to derive a relationship based on the stoichiometric coefficients.
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