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Ch.18 - Free Energy and Thermodynamics
Chapter 18, Problem 82

A reaction has an equilibrium constant of 8.5⨉103 at 298 K. At 755 K, the equilibrium constant is 0.65. Find ΔH°rxn for the reaction.

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First, we need to understand that the relationship between the equilibrium constant (K), the change in enthalpy of the reaction (ΔH°rxn), and the temperature (T) is given by the Van't Hoff equation: \(\ln\frac{K_2}{K_1} = -\frac{\Delta H°_{rxn}}{R}\left(\frac{1}{T_2} - \frac{1}{T_1}\right)\), where R is the gas constant (8.314 J/(mol·K)).
Next, we substitute the given values into the Van't Hoff equation. Here, \(K_1 = 8.5\times10^3\), \(K_2 = 0.65\), \(T_1 = 298 K\), and \(T_2 = 755 K\).
Then, we solve the equation for ΔH°rxn. This involves isolating ΔH°rxn on one side of the equation.
After that, we calculate the value of \(\frac{1}{T_2} - \frac{1}{T_1}\) and \(\ln\frac{K_2}{K_1}\).
Finally, we substitute these calculated values back into the equation to find the value of ΔH°rxn.

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Key Concepts

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

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. A high K value indicates that products are favored, while a low K value suggests that reactants are favored. Understanding K is essential for analyzing how temperature changes affect the position of equilibrium.
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Van 't Hoff Equation

The Van 't Hoff equation relates the change in the equilibrium constant (K) of a reaction to the change in temperature and the standard enthalpy change (ΔH°rxn) of the reaction. It is expressed as ln(K2/K1) = -ΔH°rxn/R(1/T2 - 1/T1), where R is the gas constant. This equation is crucial for calculating ΔH°rxn when given equilibrium constants at different temperatures.
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Standard Enthalpy Change (ΔH°rxn)

The standard enthalpy change (ΔH°rxn) is the heat change that occurs when a reaction takes place under standard conditions (1 atm pressure and a specified temperature, usually 298 K). It indicates whether a reaction is exothermic (releases heat, ΔH°rxn < 0) or endothermic (absorbs heat, ΔH°rxn > 0). This concept is vital for understanding the energy dynamics of chemical reactions.
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