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A reaction mixture, not at equilibrium, is composed of both N2O4(g) and NO2(g) in a closed container - HSC - SSCE Chemistry - Question 18 - 2024 - Paper 1
Question 18
A reaction mixture, not at equilibrium, is composed of both N2O4(g) and NO2(g) in a closed container. The reaction quotient for the system, Q, is given. $$Q = \frac... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:A reaction mixture, not at equilibrium, is composed of both N2O4(g) and NO2(g) in a closed container - HSC - SSCE Chemistry - Question 18 - 2024 - Paper 1
Step 1
Which diagram shows how Q changes over time for this mixture?
Answer
The reaction begins with the forward reaction dominating, which means that the concentration of products (NO2) is increasing while the concentration of reactants (N2O4) is decreasing. Therefore, Q will initially increase as more NO2 is produced relative to N2O4. As the system approaches equilibrium, the rates of the forward and reverse reactions will equalize, leading to a stabilization of Q at a constant value.
This behavior is best represented by Diagram B, where Q rises initially and then plateaus as equilibrium is approached, reflecting the change in the concentrations of the reactants and products.