Question

Once we know the equilibrium constant for a reaction, we can calculate what will happen when any arbitrary mixture of reactants and products is allowed to come to equilibrium. To take a simple case: What would happen if we mixed 1 mol cis isomer with 1 mol trans isomer of difluoroethene in a 10-dm3 flask at 623 K?

Answer 1

To predict what happens to a mixture of cis and trans isomers of difluoroethene at equilibrium, one must use an ICE table in conjunction with the known equilibrium constant to calculate the equilibrium concentrations of the reactants and products.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question revolves around the equilibrium constant of a reaction between cis and trans isomers of difluoroethene and what will happen once these reactants are mixed in a flask and allowed to reach equilibrium at a given temperature.

To determine the composition of the reaction mixture at equilibrium, one must compare the reaction quotient Q to the equilibrium constant K for the reaction. The calculation involves the use of an ICE table (Initial, Change, Equilibrium) to systematically calculate how the concentrations of reactants and products will change as the reaction proceeds toward equilibrium.

Using Equilibrium Constants

Knowing the equilibrium constant allows chemists to predict the extent of a reaction. For example, many reactions have an equilibrium constant between 1000 and 0.001, which indicates that significant amounts of both reactants and products will be present at equilibrium.

In the given scenario, assuming the equilibrium constant is known, one would calculate how much of each isomer will be present at equilibrium. The ICE table method will be utilized to find the equilibrium concentrations after considering the initial amounts of both cis and trans isomers, the changes during the reaction, and the equilibrium concentrations.