Final answer:
The formation of nitrogen oxides in an internal combustion engine involves two steps: N2 and O2 reacting to produce NO, and then NO reacts with additional O2 to form NO2. NO is not a catalyst in this process. Adding a catalyst to the water gas reaction would increase the rate of reaching equilibrium but not the equilibrium concentrations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question addresses the formation of nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2) through different chemical reactions. When considering the reaction of nitrogen gas (N2) and oxygen gas (O2) at high temperatures, such as those inside an internal combustion engine, the first step produces nitrogen monoxide (NO) with a very low equilibrium constant, indicating that the reaction does not proceed to a significant extent under normal conditions. The second step involves NO reacting with O2 to form nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which is more favored and has a much higher equilibrium constant. NO, therefore, is not a catalyst since it is consumed during the reaction to form NO2. In the context of the reaction involving water gas (H2O(g) + C(s)), increasing the catalyst would not change the equilibrium concentrations of H2, CO, and CH3OH, but would increase the rate at which equilibrium is reached.