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Ch.15 - Chemical Equilibrium
Chapter 15, Problem 80b

For the equilibrium PH3BCl3(𝑠) β‡Œ PH3(𝑔) + BCl3(𝑔) 𝐾𝑝 = 0.052 at 60 Β°C. (b) After 3.00 g of solid PH3BCl3 is added to a closed 1.500-L vessel at 60 Β°C, the vessel is charged with 0.0500 g of BCl3(𝑔). What is the equilibrium concentration of PH3?

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1
Convert the mass of BCl_3(g) to moles using its molar mass.
Set up an ICE (Initial, Change, Equilibrium) table to track the changes in moles of each species.
Use the initial moles of BCl_3(g) and the stoichiometry of the reaction to express the changes in moles of PH_3(g) and BCl_3(g) in terms of a variable x.
Write the expression for K_p in terms of the partial pressures of PH_3(g) and BCl_3(g), and relate these to their concentrations using the ideal gas law.
Solve the K_p expression for x, which represents the change in moles of PH_3(g), and calculate the equilibrium concentration of PH_3(g) using the volume of the vessel.

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Key Concepts

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

Chemical Equilibrium

Chemical equilibrium occurs when the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal, resulting in constant concentrations of reactants and products. In this scenario, the equilibrium constant (Kp) quantifies the ratio of the partial pressures of the gaseous products to that of the solid reactant, indicating the extent of the reaction at a given temperature.
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Equilibrium Constant (Kp)

The equilibrium constant (Kp) is a dimensionless value that expresses the relationship between the concentrations (or partial pressures) of reactants and products at equilibrium. For the reaction PH3BCl3(s) β‡Œ PH3(g) + BCl3(g), Kp = 0.052 indicates that at equilibrium, the concentration of gaseous products is relatively low compared to the solid reactant, reflecting the position of equilibrium.
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Stoichiometry and Concentration Calculations

Stoichiometry involves using the coefficients of a balanced chemical equation to relate the amounts of reactants and products. In this problem, the initial amounts of PH3BCl3 and BCl3 must be converted to moles, and then the changes in concentration due to the reaction must be calculated to determine the equilibrium concentration of PH3, taking into account the volume of the vessel.
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