the dissociation equilibrium of a gas ab2
What is the dissociation equilibrium of a gas AB₂?
Answer: The dissociation equilibrium of a gas like AB₂ refers to the balance between the forward and reverse reactions when it partially breaks down into its components. For the gas AB₂, it dissociates into A and B molecules:
This process reaches equilibrium when the rate at which AB₂ dissociates into A and B is equal to the rate at which A and B recombine to form AB₂. The equilibrium can be described by the equilibrium constant K_c, which is defined for this reaction in terms of the concentrations of the products and reactants:
Where:
- [\text{A}] is the concentration of A.
- [\text{B}] is the concentration of B.
- [\text{AB}_2] is the concentration of AB₂.
Factors Affecting Equilibrium:
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Concentration: Changing the concentration of any of the reactants or products will shift the equilibrium to restore balance, according to Le Chatelier’s Principle.
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Pressure: For gas-phase reactions, changes in pressure can affect equilibrium. Increasing pressure tends to shift the equilibrium towards the side with fewer gas molecules.
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Temperature: An increase in temperature will favor the endothermic direction (absorbing heat), while a decrease favors the exothermic direction (releasing heat).
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Catalysts: These speed up both the forward and reverse reactions equally, allowing equilibrium to be reached faster, but do not change the position of equilibrium.
Summary: The dissociation equilibrium of a gas AB₂ involves the balance between its dissociation into A and B and their recombination. This balance depends on concentration, pressure, temperature, and catalysts. Understanding these factors helps in controlling and predicting the behavior of the reaction.