PHET REVERSIBLE REACTIONS BY DANIELLE POSEN

DIRECTIONS:

Download the Reversible Reactions sim from either the PhET website (linked on Edline) or from the classroom computer. Use the prompts below to prepare your write-up for your e-portfolio. You are expected to prepare a prose-style write-up that shows what you know. Include evidence such as data tables, screen shots, or even links to other websites to support your writing.

DISCUSS WHAT CHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM IS, AND WHY IT IS CONSIDER ED A DYNAMIC P ROCESS.

In a chemical equilibrium there is a reverse and forward reaction. The products of the forward reaction can again react and form the reactants. Equilibrium is reached once the rate of the forward and reverse reactions are equal. The rate of the reaction however is in most cases not 0 but rather the rate of the forward and reverse are equal. These equilibriums are known as dynamic equilibriums in which the reactions never stop but both the reverse and forward reactions continue at equal rates.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE RELATIVE ABUNDANCIES OF REACTANTS (LEFT SIDE) AND PRODUCTS (RIGHT SIDE) AT DIFFERENT POINTS OF TIME.

1. Instructions: Investigate, using available tools in the simulation, the effect of a change in temperature, # of balls or activation energy on the Krg. Your investigation must include the following factors
EXPERIMENTAL QUESTIO N:

How does the adding of A particles affect the ratio of particles A and B after 1 minuet?
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE:

Increasing concentration of particle A

DEPENDENT VARIABLE

The ratio of particles

CONTROLLED VARIABLES

Temperature (particles will enter the system with a temperature of 500K) Activation energy (activation energy will remain at 20cm) Initial number of A and B particles (there will be an initially 5 A and B particles)
TABLE

Number of additional A particles 10 15 30

Trial 1 (A:B) 12:9 14:11 28:12

Trial 2 (A:B) 13:7 15:10 27:13

Trial 3 (A:B) 14: 6 18: 7 30:10

Average (A:B) 13:7 16:9 28:12

GRAPH

AVERAGE RATIO OF A AND B PARTICLES AFTER 1 MINUET

30 25 20 A particles 15 10 5 0 0 2 4 6 B Particles 8 10 12 14

CONCLUSIONS

The data illustrates that once additional A particles were added, which increased the concentration the reaction shifted to the opposite side of the additional particles. In this case additional A particles were added and as a result the equilibrium shifted to the B particles as the rate of the production of B particles increased. The reason for this increase is the idea of the collision theory. The addition of the A particles increased the frequency of collisions therefore more particles reacted and turned into B particles. The graph above shows a red line the average number of B particles exceeds the initial B particles added into the simulation therefore reinforcing Le chandeliers Principle that states an increase in concentration in one reaction will shift equilibrium toward the opposite reaction.