Final answer:
The equilibrium concentration of nitrogen monoxide (NO) can be calculated by rearranging the equilibrium constant expression, inserting the known values, and solving for [NO].
Step-by-step explanation:
The balanced chemical equation for the formation of nitrogen monoxide (NO) in automobile exhaust, which is the reaction of nitrogen (N2) and oxygen (O2) gases, is: N2 (g) + O2 (g) ⇌ 2 NO (g).
The equilibrium constant expression for this reaction at a given temperature is Kc = [NO]2 / ([N2] × [O2]). Given that Kc = 0.0025 at 2127 °C, and the equilibrium concentrations of N2 and O2 are 0.023 M and 0.031 M respectively, we can set up an equation to solve for the equilibrium concentration of NO:
0.0025 = [NO]2 / (0.023 × 0.031)
To find [NO], we can solve for [NO]2 = 0.0025 × 0.023 × 0.031 and then find the square root of the result to obtain the equilibrium concentration of NO.