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One change was made to the equilibrium system at time $t_1$, which altered the equilibrium constant - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 28 - 2021 - Paper 1
Question 28
One change was made to the equilibrium system at time $t_1$, which altered the equilibrium constant. Equilibrium was re-established at time $t_5$. The rate of the re... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:One change was made to the equilibrium system at time $t_1$, which altered the equilibrium constant - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 28 - 2021 - Paper 1
Step 1
Equilibrium constant
Answer
The equilibrium constant does not change with time but rather is affected by temperature and the nature of the reactants and products. Since a change was made at , leading to a new equilibrium state at , and given that the conditions affect the reverse reaction, the equilibrium constant must have increased in order to reach a state where the reverse reaction is dominating.
Step 2
Total chemical energy
Answer
As the equilibrium shifts, the total chemical energy also changes. Since the rate of the reverse reaction is higher at , this typically indicates that the system has released some energy, causing a decrease in total chemical energy as the system reaches a new equilibrium.
Step 3