Consider the exothermic reaction: C2H4(g) + Cl2(g) ⇌ C2H4Cl2(g) If you were trying to maximize the amount of C2H4Cl2 produced, which tactic might you try? Assume that the reaction mixture reaches equilibrium. a. increasing the reaction volume b. removing C2H4Cl2 from the reaction mixture as it forms c. lowering the reaction temperature d. adding Cl2

Video transcript

Welcome back everyone to another video, consider the exothermic reaction. Ethne reacts with bromine to produce di bromo ethane. If you were trying to maximize the amount of di bromo ethane produced, which tactic might you try assume that the reaction mixture reaches equilibrium were given four possibilities. A increasing the reaction volume. B removing di bromo E from the reaction mixture as it forms D lowering the reaction temperature and D adding bromine. Now there are four answer choices. ABC and D and they essentially represent a combination of those four possibilities. So let's solve this problem. And we're going to do this using the principle of Le Chatelier. First of all, let's consider option A which says that we are increasing the reaction volume, which essentially means that we are decreasing pressure. If we look at the equilibrium mixture on the left, we have two moles of gasses. And on the right, we have one mole of gas. So if we decrease pressure, we know that according to the principle of Lee Delia, the equilibrium shifts to the left towards the formation of a greater amount of moles of gasses, right? Because when we increase pressure, it's the opposite, we go from the greater number of moles to the lower number of moles. So in this case, we can say that A is not a possibility because it would actually decrease the amount of di bromo ethane. Now let's consider option B which says that we want to remove the bromo ethane from the reaction, make sure as it forms, which is correct. We can do that. If we remove our product, the equilibrium will shift towards the formation of the product to restore or compensate for its loss. According to the principle of le Chia, right, we can say that B is the correct option. Now, C lowering the reaction temperature. The problem states that the reaction is exothermic, meaning if we have our two reactants A and B producing our product C then heat is also a product. Because in an exothermic reaction, heat Q is a product, right is basically heat is released in the reaction mixture. Now, it says that we are lowering the reaction temperature, meaning we are removing Q which is very similar to part B. If we remove Q or heat, the reaction will shift towards the formation of the products to compensate for the loss of heat, right, to form more heat. That is, and this means that C is also the correct option. And it's a possibility. And finally, we have option D where it says that we're adding B roaming. So now essentially according to the principle of le Chatelier, if we have the same reaction A plus B forming D, the principle states that if we add our reactants, if we add an excess amount of our reactants, when we are already at equilibrium, the reaction will shift to the formation of the products D because it will try to restore the equilibrium by consuming the excess amount of the reactants added. And this means D is also a possibility. So based on our answers, we noticed that BC and D, those are the possibilities and based on those possibilities, the correct answer choice to this problem is option C which states that BC and D are the possibilities for us. Thank you for watching.