Question

Consider the following reaction at equilibrium. What effect will removing NO₂ have on the system?

SO₂(g) + NO₂(g) --> SO₃(g) + NO(g)
Answer

A. The reaction will shift in the direction of reactants.

B. No change will occur since SO₃ is not included in the equilibrium expression.

C. The reaction will shift in the direction of products.

D. The reaction will shift to decrease the pressure.

E. The equilibrium constant will decrease.

Answer 1

The correct answer is A. The reaction will shift in the direction of reactants when NO₂ is removed from the system, to increase its concentration according to Le Chatelier's Principle.

Step-by-step explanation:

If NO₂ is removed from the equilibrium system of the reaction SO₂(g) + NO₂(g) --> SO₃(g) + NO(g), the reaction will shift in the direction of the reactants. According to Le Chatelier's Principle, the equilibrium will adjust to counteract the change imposed on the system, which in this case is the removal of NO₂.

Removing NO₂ disrupts the equilibrium by decreasing the concentration of one of the reactants. The system responds by shifting to the left, that is, in the direction where it can produce more NO₂ to offset the decrease. This effect is not related to changes in pressure or the equilibrium constant; instead, it's a response to changes in reactant and product concentrations.

In summary, the reaction will shift towards the reactants to replenish the NO₂ that was removed, causing the concentrations of SO₂ and NO₂ to increase, and the concentrations of SO₃ and NO to decrease. Therefore, the correct answer is A. The reaction will shift in the direction of reactants.