Considering H2(g) + I2(g) ↔ 2HI and a temperature of 731K; 2.40 mol of H2 and 2.40 mol of I2 are placed in a 1.00 L vessel. What is the equilibrium concentration of H2 in the gaseous mixture? The equilibrium constant is K = 49.0

1 Answer
Dec 13, 2014

The answer is 0.53M.

Starting from the balanced chemical equation

H2(g)+I2(g)2HI(g)

Since the reaction's equlibrium constant, Keq, greater than 1, the reaction will favor the formation of the product, HI, so we would expct the equilibrium concentrations of H2 and I2 to be smaller than the concentration of HI.

From the data given we can determine the starting concentrations of both H2 and I2 to be

CH2=nH2V=2.40moles1.00L=2.40M
CI2=nI2V=2.40moles1.00L=2.40M

We can now determine the equilibrium concentrations for this reaction by using the ICE method (more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RICE_chart)

...H2(g)+I2(g)2HI(g)
I: 2.40........2.40...........0
C: (-x).............(-x)..........(+2x)
E: 2.40-x.....2.40-x........2x

We know that Keq=[HI]2[H2][I2], so we get

Keq=(2x)2(2.40x)(2.40x)=4x2(2.40x)2=49.0

Rearranging this equation will give us

45x2235.2x+282.24=0, which produces two values for x, x1=3.36 and x2=1.87; we cannot choose x1, since that would imply negative concentration values at equilibrium for both H2 and I2 (2.40 -3.36 = -0.96);

Therefore, x=1.87, which means that, at equilibrium,

[H2]=2.401.87=0.53M
[I2]=2.401.87=0.53M
{HI]=21.87=3.74M

Notice how the final concentrations match the estimate derived from Keq's value - the reaction indeed favors the product ,HI.

A quick word on the ICE table...the starting concentration of HI is 0 M because only H2 and I2 are present in the vessel; x simply represents the change in concentrations in accordance to the balanced chemical equation -> 1 mole of H2 and 1 mole of I2 combine to form 2 moles of HI - that is where the +2x comes from...