EQUILIBRIA (CHAPTER – 6)

CHEMISTRY – 9
Q # 1 TICK (√) THE CORRECT ANSWER
(D) (C) (B) (A) Statement Sr.
No
The reaction will The reaction The THE What will happen if the rate of 1
be practically will not attain equilibrium EQUILIBRIUM forward and reverse reactions
irreversible. the state of point will POINT WILL are very high?
dynamic reach very REACH VERY
equilibrium late. SOON
N2 and O2 CO2 and O2 O2 and H20 N2 and H2O Predict which components of the 2
atmosphere react in the
presence of lightning?
Both the Container A Container A BOTH THE An inorganic chemist places one 3
containers will will have less will have CONTAINERS mole of PCl5 in a container A and
have zero concentration more WILL HAVE one mole of each Cl2 and PCl3 in
concentration of of PCl3 than B concentration THE SAME a container B. Both the
its reactants. of PCl3 than COMPOSITION containers were sealed and
B. OF MIXTURES heated to the same temperature
to reach the state of equilibrium.
Guess about the composition of
mixtures in both the containers.
Cooling it in an Cooling it in a HEATING AT Heating at CaO or lime is used extensively in 4
open vessel closed vessel HIGH high steel, glass and paper
TEMPERA- temperature [Link] is produced in an
TURE IN AN in a closed exothermic reversible reaction
OPEN vessel by the decomposition of lime
VESSEL (CaCO3).Choose the conditions
to produce maximum amount of
lime.
One of the THE 50% of the All the What condition should be met 5
products should CONCENTRA- reactants reactants for the reversible reaction to
be removed TION OF ALL should be should be achieve the state of equilibrium?
THE
from the converted converted
REACTANTS
reaction mixture AND THE into into the
PRODUCTS products. product.
SHOULD
BECOME
CONSTANT

(D) (C) (B) (A) Statement Sr.

No

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 Because the BECAUSE THE Because the Because the Why the gas starts coming out 6
solubility of the GAS IS gas is solubility of when you open a can of fizzy
gas decreases at DISSOLVE insoluble in the gas drink?
high UNDER water increases.
temperature PRESSURE
HENCE IT
COMES OUT
WHEN
PRESSURE IS
DECREASED
No effect on No effect on THE The forward The following reaction is 7
forward or backward BACKWARD reaction will performed in a closed vessel.
backward reaction. REACTION be favoured. CaCO3 ⇌ CaO+CO2
reaction. WILL BE How the equilibrium will be
FAVOURED affected if you increase the
pressure?
If the enthalpy If the If the IF THE When a reaction will become a 8
change of both activation activation ACTIVATION reversible one?
the reactions is energy of the energy of ENERGY OF
zero forward the forward THE
reaction is reaction is FORWARD
lower than higher than REACTION IS
that of that of COMPARABLE
backward backward TO THAT OF
reaction. reaction. BACWARD
REACTION
They are useful THEY ARE Yes No Is reversible reaction useful for 9
only when USEFUL ONLY preparing compounds on large
equilibrium lies WHEN scale?
far to the left EQUILIBRIUM
side. LIES FAR TO
THE RIGHT
SIDE
They will remain They will They will THEY WILL What will happen to the 10
constant for keep on keep on REMAIN concentrations of the products
some time and decreasing. increasing. CONSTANT if a reversible reaction at
then start equilibrium is not disturbed?
decreasing.

2. QUESTIONS FOR SHORT ANSWERS

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i. How is dynamic equilibrium different from the static equilibrium?
Ans. Dynamic Equilibrium:
A reversible reaction will keep on going in both the directions until the rate of forward
reaction becomes equal to the rate of reverse reaction. At this point the reaction is said to
be at a state of chemical equilibrium.
When reaction did not cease at the state of equilibrium, rather it keeps on going in both
directions, this state is called dynamic equilibrium. The concentrations of reacting species
(reactants and products) remain constant at dynamic equilibrium.
Static Equilibrium:
When reaction ceases to proceed, it is called static equilibrium. This happens mostly in
physical phenomenon. For example, a building remains standing rather than falling due to
static equilibrium.
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ii. How the following reversible reaction will be affected if its temperature is
increased?
2H2O(I) 2H2(g) + O2(g)

Ans. If the temperature is increased, the reversible reaction will shift to the right (forward
direction) producing more hydrogen and oxygen gas, because decomposition of water is
endothermic and heat supports it.
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iii. How can you get the maximum yield in a reversible reaction?
Ans. TO GET MAXIMUM YIELD IN A REVERSIBLE REACTION:
We can get the maximum yield in a reversible reaction by:
1. Adding one or more of the reacting species.
2. Withdrawing one or more of the products species.
3. Changing temperature of the reaction to favour product formation.
4. Changing pressure of the reaction if it involves reactants or products in the gaseous state to favour
product formation.
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iv. How can you decrease the time to attain the position of equilibrium in a reversible
reaction?
Ans. A catalyst increases both the rates of forward and backward reactions of a reversible reaction, so if
a reversible reaction is carried out in the presence of a catalyst it will decrease the time taken by
the reaction to attain the state of equilibrium.
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v. What is the effect of increasing pressure on the following reaction at equilibrium?

Ans. EFFECT OF PRESSURE ON THE GIVEN REACTION:

Change of pressure will disturb the equilibrium state of only those gaseous reactions in
which number of moles of the reacting gases will be different from the number of moles of
the gases being produced. Since, in this reaction two moles of reacting gases are
producing two moles of product gas, so, increasing pressure will have no effect on
equilibrium of this reaction.

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3. CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE QUESTIONS

i. Why are some reactions irreversible while others are reversible?
Ans. IRREVERSEIBLE REACTION:
Some reactions are irreversible. Because in these reactions, the reactants react to give the
products. The reaction will continue until all the reactants or one of the reactants is
converted into products.
For Example:
NaCl(aq) + AgNO3(aq) AgCl(s) + NaNO3(aq)

• In these reactions, the product of the reaction do not react to give back the reactants under
the same conditions.
• These reactions go to completion and if stoimetric amounts of the reactants are used then
no reactant species are present at the end of the reaction.
• These reactions move only in the forward direction.
• In these reactions an arrows head⟶ pointing from reactants to products is placed between
reactants and products.

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 REVERSEIBLE REACTION:
Some other reactions are reversible. Because in these reactions, the reactants react to give
the products and products in turn also react to give back the reactants.
For Example:

• In these reactions products of the reaction also react to give back reactants, under the same
conditions.
• These reactions do not go to completion.
• These reactions move in both the forward and backward directions under the same
conditions.
• In these reactions a symbol ⇌ which have two half arrowheads one pointing in each
direction is placed between reactants and products.
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ii. Why are combustion reactions generally irreversible?

Ans. COMBUSTION REACTION ARE GENERALLY IRREVERSIBLE:
Combustion means burning a substance in the present of oxygen to release heat and light.
These reactions are generally irreversible because:
• Combustion produces gases like carbon dioxide and water vapours which go into the air and
cannot come back to form the original substances.
• Combustion is a highly exothermic reaction. The heat released cannot go back into the
reactants.
• In combustion, the original substances are destroyed and cannot be recovered. For
example, wood or paper turns into ash and gas.
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iii. Can you make an irreversible reaction reversible and vice versa?
Ans. IRREVERSIBLE REACTION INTO REVERSIBLE:
Generally an irreversible reaction cannot be made a reversible one. Because in irreversible
reactions, the products of the reaction do not react back to form reactants at the same
conditions. But in some cases we can make an irreversible reaction into a reversible one.

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 For Example:

CaCO3 CaO + CO
If the above reaction is carried out in an open container. The reaction is irreversible because
carbon dioxide gas will escape into atmosphere. If on the other hand the above reaction is
carried out in a closed container, the carbon dioxide will react with calcium oxide to give
back the reactants. This reaction is reversible.
REVERSIBLE REACTION INTO IRREVERSIBLE:
A reversible reaction can be made irreversible if either one of the products is withdrawn
from the reaction mixture or being a gas, it escapes into the atmosphere. For example,
calcium carbonate is decomposed by heating at a particular temperature.
CaCO3(s) ⇌ CaO(s) + CO2(s)
If the above reversible reaction is carried out in an open container, the carbon dioxide gas
will escape into atmosphere as soon as it is formed and reaction is forced to go to
completion. Thus a reversible reaction can be made irreversible.
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iv. How do you know if a reaction is reversible or irreversible?

Ans. REACTION IS WHETHER REVERSIBLE OR IRREVERSIBLE:
If a reaction moves in both the forward and backward directions under the same conditions
and products of the reaction also react to give back reactants than this reaction is
reversible.
If a reaction moves in the forward direction only and products do not react to give back the
reactants than this reaction is irreversible.
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v. Do the phase changes in water (solid to liquid, liquid to vapour) reversible or

irreversible?
Ans. PHASE CHANGES IN WATER ARE REVERSIBLE:
Yes, the phase changes in water are reversible because the water can change back and forth
between solid, liquid and gas.
Solid ⇌ liquid ⇌ vapour
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 4. Descriptive Questions.
i. How can you drive the reversible reaction at equilibrium?
a) In the forward direction: b) In the backward direction:
Ans: TO DRIVE REVERSIBLE REACTION IN THE FORWARD DIRECTION:
At equilibrium the reversible reaction can be drived in forward direction by:
• Adding one or more of the reacting species.
• Withdrawing one or more of the product species.
• Changing temperature of the reaction to favour product formation.
• Changing pressure of the reaction if it involves reactants or products in the gaseous state to
favour product formation.
TO DRIVE REVERSIBLE REACTION IN THE BACKWARD DORECTION:
At equilibrium the reversible reaction can be drive in backward direction by:
• Withdrawing one or more of the reacting species.
• Adding one or more of the product species.
• Changing temperature of the reaction to favour reactant formation.
• Changing pressure of the reaction if it involves reactants or products in the gaseous state to
favour reactant formation.
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ii. Explain how the rates of forward and backward reactions change when the system
approaches equilibrium.
Ans: CHANGE IN RATES OF FORWARD AND BACKWARD REACTIONS WHEN THE SYSTEM
APPROACHES EQUILIBRIUM:
If a reversible reaction is started by mixing the reactants, the reaction moves in the forward
direction only. After some time when enough concentrations of the products are built up,
they react to give back the reactants in the reverse reaction.
The reaction will keep on going in both the directions until the rate of forward reaction
becomes equal to the rate of backward reaction. In other words, the number of reactant
molecules which will disappear as a result of forward reaction becomes equal to the
number of reactant molecules which will form as a result of the reverse reaction. The same
will be true for the product molecules. At this stage, the reaction is said to be in a state of
chemical equilibrium.
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iii. Describe the effect of a catalyst on the reversible reaction.
Ans: EFFECT OF THE PRESENE OF A CATALYST ON THE REVERSEIBLE REACTION:
At the stage of dynamic equilibrium, the rates of both forward and backward reactions are
equal.
A catalyst increases both the rates of forward and back reactions of a reversible reaction. So
if a reversible reaction is carried out in the presence of a catalyst it will decrease the time
taken by the reaction to attain the state of equilibrium.
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iv. How can a reversible reaction be forced to go to completion?

Ans: REVERSIBLE REACTION CAN BE FORCED TO GO TO COMPLETION:
A reversible reaction can be forced to go to completion if either one of the products is
withdrawn from the reaction mixture or being a gas, it escapes into the atmosphere. For
example, calcium carbonate is decomposed by heating at a particular temperature.
CaCO3(s) ⇌ CaO(s) + CO2(s)
If the above reaction is carried out in an open container, the carbon dioxide gas will escape
into atmosphere as soon as it is formed and reaction is forced to go to completion.
_____________________________

v. How does change in temperature affect the reaction at equilibrium?

Ans. EFFECT OF CHANGING THE TEMPERATURE ON THE STATE OF EQUILIBRIUM:
The formation of ammonia is exothermic in the forward direction and hence this reaction
will be endothermic in the reverse direction.

If this reaction is at equilibrium and its temperature is increased, the state of the
equilibrium will be disturbed again. The H of this reaction is negative. This means that the
total energy of the system containing N2 and H2 is higher than that of ammonia. The
increase in temperature of this reaction at equilibrium will push the reaction in the
backward direction i.e. the reactants side. Decreasing the temperature will drive the
equilibrium to the forward direction.
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 5. INVESTIGATIVE QUESTIONS

i. Study the effect of heat on hydrated copper sulphate why does this salt look
coloured and why does it lose color upon heating?
Ans. EFFET OF HEAT ON HYDRATED COPPER SULPHATE:
Copper sulphate pentahydrate (CuSO4. 5 H2O) is an important salt which is blue in colour.
When this salt is heated strongly, its colour changes to white. This physical change involves
the following equailibrium.

When white anhydrous copper sulphate absorbs moisture from the atmosphere, it will turn
blue again.
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ii. Synthesis of ammonia gas is very important industrially because it is used in the
preparation of urea fertilizer. Explain the condition you will use to get the
maximum yield of ammonia.
Ans. CONDITIONS TO GET MAXIMUM YIELD OF AMMONIA:

Synthesis of ammonia gas is very important industrially because it is used in the preparation

of urea fertilizer.

The following conditions can be used to get the maximum yield of the ammonia.

1. Adding one or more of the reacting species (N2 and H2).

2. Withdrawing the product species (NH3).

3. Changing the temperature of the reaction to favour the product formation (NH 3).

4. Changing pressure of the gas to favour the product formation (NH3).

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