Question

An initial mixture of nitrogen gas and hydrogen gas is reacted in a rigid container at a certain temperature by the reaction: 3H₂(g) + N₂(g) ⇌ 2NH₃(g) At equilibrium, the concentrations are [H₂] = 5.0 M, [N₂] = 8.0 M, [NH₃] = 3.0 M. What were the concentrations of nitrogen gas and hydrogen gas that were reacted initially?

Answer 1

Without additional information such as the change in concentration or the reaction time, it is not possible to calculate the initial concentrations of nitrogen and hydrogen gases.

Step-by-step explanation:

The initial concentrations of nitrogen (N₂) and hydrogen (H₂) gases that were reacted cannot be directly determined through the equilibrium concentrations alone. However, if we know how much the concentration has changed, we can deduce the initial concentration. According to the reaction stoichiometry, for every mole of N₂ consumed in the reaction, 3 moles of H₂ are also consumed and 2 moles of NH₃ are produced.

Since we don't have information on the change in concentration or the reaction time, we cannot calculate the initially amounts of nitrogen and hydrogen gases. We would need additional data including how much time passed before the system reached equilibrium and/or the reaction rates of the gases.

Equilibrium in this context refers to the state in which the rate of the forward reaction (3H₂ + N₂ → 2NH₃) is equal to the rate of the reverse reaction (2NH₃ → 3H₂ + N₂), and thus the concentrations of the reactants and products remain constant.

Learn more about Chemical Equilibrium