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Ch.15 - Chemical Equilibrium
Chapter 15, Problem 26a

Consider the following equilibrium, for which 𝐾𝑝 = 0.0752 at 480Β°C: 2 Cl2(𝑔) + 2 H2O(𝑔) β‡Œ 4 HCl(𝑔) + O2(𝑔) (a) What is the value of 𝐾𝑝 for the reaction 4 HCl(𝑔) + O2(𝑔) β‡Œ 2 Cl2(𝑔) + 2 H2O(𝑔)?

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1
Identify that the given reaction is the reverse of the original reaction.
Recall that the equilibrium constant for the reverse reaction is the reciprocal of the equilibrium constant for the forward reaction.
Write the expression for the equilibrium constant of the reverse reaction: \( K'_{p} = \frac{1}{K_{p}} \).
Substitute the given value of \( K_{p} = 0.0752 \) into the expression for the reverse reaction.
Calculate the reciprocal to find \( K'_{p} \), which is the equilibrium constant for the reverse reaction.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Equilibrium Constant (Kp)

The equilibrium constant, Kp, is a numerical value that expresses the ratio of the concentrations of products to reactants at equilibrium for a given reaction at a specific temperature. It is calculated using the partial pressures of gases involved in the reaction. A Kp value less than 1 indicates that at equilibrium, reactants are favored, while a value greater than 1 indicates that products are favored.
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Le Chatelier's Principle

Le Chatelier's Principle states that if a dynamic equilibrium is disturbed by changing the conditions, the system will adjust itself to counteract the change and restore a new equilibrium. This principle helps predict how changes in concentration, pressure, or temperature will affect the position of equilibrium in a chemical reaction.
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Reaction Quotient (Q)

The reaction quotient, Q, is a measure of the relative amounts of products and reactants present in a reaction at any point in time, not just at equilibrium. It is calculated in the same way as Kp but uses the current concentrations or partial pressures. Comparing Q to Kp allows us to determine the direction in which the reaction will proceed to reach equilibrium.
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