CHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM

I.

INTRODUCTION
A. Principle
If you are in a bus stop and you observed that the rate at which people ride
the bus is equal to the rate at which people leave the bus, the number of people
riding the bus and leaving the bus remains constant and can be said to be in dynamic
equilibrium, much like in chemicals reactions. They can occur in both forward and
reverse directions, and when the rates of reactions became equal, the concentrations
of reactants and products remain constant; at that point, the chemical system is at
equilibrium (McMurry& Fay, 2008).
Chemical equilibrium as defined by Lower is a chemical reaction in which
there is no tendency for the quantities of reactants and products to change.
Chemical change occurs when the atoms that make up one or more substance
rearrange in such a way that new substances are formed. These substances are the
components of the chemical reaction system; those components which decrease in
quantity are called reactants while those which increase are called products. A given
chemical reaction system is defined by a balanced net chemical reaction which is
conventionally written as :
Reactants -> products
There are some factors which instigate these changes to disturb a system at
equilibrium namely, the concentration, pressure and temperature.
The effect of any change in the reaction condition of a system in equilibrium
can be described using the Le Chateliers Principle. The principle states that if a
system at equilibrium is subjected to a change of pressure, temperature, or number
of moles of a substance, there will be a tendency for a net reaction in the direction
that tends to reduce the effect of this change.

B. Objectives
At the end of the experimentation, the student was able to:
1. to determine how different factors affect a system in chemical
equilibrium;
2. to explain the effect of these factors in terms of the Le Chateliers
principle.
II.

MATERIALS
A. Reagents
0.02 M KSCN
H2O
0.02 M Fe(NO3)3
NaN02
0.02 M NaH2PO4
6 M HCL
CoCl2
ice
B. Apparatus
Test tube
Stirring rod
Centrifuge tubes
Syringe
Rubber stopper
Hot plate
Beaker

III.

PROCEDURE
A. Effect of Concentration
5 ml of 0.02 M KSCN was mixed with 5 ml water in a test tube.
Afterwards, 2-4 drops of 0.02 M Fe(NO3)3 was added to the solution in the test
tube and was stirred. Observations were noted and were recorded on the table
provided.
Subsequently, the formed solution was divided into four labelled test
tubes (1-4). The first test tube served as the control in the experiment. The
second was added with a small crystal of KSCN. Test tube 3 was added with a
drop of 0.02 Fe(NO3)3 and test tube 4 with 2 drops of 0.02 M NaH2PO4.
Observations on physical properties of the solution on each testtube
were recorded on the table.

B. Effect of Pressure
Under the fumehood, a pinch of NaNO2 and 3-4 drops of 6M HCl were
mixed in a test tube to generate nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
After sometime, 10 cc of brown gas was drawn into a syringe and was
pressed into a rubber stopper to prevent the gas from escaping. It was placed
in a white background to note for the observations on its color.
Next, as the syringe was constrained on a rubber stopper, the plunger
was pressed from the 10 cc until the 4 cc mark and observations on the initial
change of gas color were distinguished.
After few seconds of maintaining the same pressure, the color
variations of the gas inside the syringe was also noted.
Observations were tabulated on the given table.
C. Effect of Temperature
The prepared solution of CoCl2 in 12 M HCl was placed into three test
tubes containing 0.5 ml of this solution.
One test tube was placed in a hot-water bath, the second in a cold-water
bath, and the third, in room temperature which served as the control. After 5
mins, observations on the color variations of each solution were noted.
Afterwards, the test tube from the hot-water bath was transferred to the
cold-water bath and vice versa. It was allowed to stand for another 5 minutes
then the observations were again noted on a table.

IV.

DATA AND RESULTS

Table 4.1 Observations on the addition of 0.02 M Fe(NO3)3to KSCN solution.

Step

Observations

Preparation of 5 ml 0.02 M KSCN + 5 ml

H2O

Clear, colorless solution

Addition of 2-4 drops of 0.02 M Fe(NO3)3

Deep red solution

Table 4.2 Preparation of different solutions of KSCN.

TEST

CONTENTS

OBSERVATIONS

Prepared solution

Bloody red in solution

Prepared solution + KSCN

Dark red solution

TUBE

crystal
3

Prepared solution+ 1 drop 0.02

Darker red solution (in reference to test

M Fe(NO3)3

tube no.2)

Prepared solution + 2 drops

0.02 0.02 M NaH2PO4

Yellowish solution

Table 4.3 Effect of pressure on color changes of gas.

Syringe plunger
position

Observations

Brown gas

C.

Light brown gas

A.
Lighter brown gas
Table 4.4 Effect of temperature to the CoCl2 solution.

Initial
Temperatu
re

Observations

Shifting
Temperatur
e

Observations

Hot-temp

Violet solution

Col temp

Lighter pink solution (refer

to test tube in room temp.)

Cold temp

Lighter pink solution

(refer to test tube in
room temp.)

Hot temp

Violet solution

Room temp

Pink solution

Room temp

Pink solution

V.

DISCUSSION
Chemical equilibrium is the state reached when the concentrations of
reactants and products remain constant over time.
There are some factors which instigate these changes to disturb a system at
equilibrium namely, the concentration, pressure and temperature.
Table 4.1 shows the observations as KSCN was added with drops of Fe(NO3)3.
It can be observed that when KSCN was first added with water, the solution formed
was colorless and when the additional drops of Fe(NO3)3 was dispersed in the test
tube, the colorless solution turned to a bloody red solution which is due to the
formation of FeSCN2+ with a net ionic equation of:
Fe3+ + SCN -> FeSCN2+
Table 4.2 shows the variation in the color of the solution as different reagents
were added on it. Shifts in the position of its equilibrium can be detected by
observing how the color of the solution changes when various reagents were
added.
For example, as an additional crystal of KSCN was added to the test tube
containing FeSCN2+ solution, the color of the solution turned to a darker shade of
red, in contrast to the bloody red color of the test tube containing FeSCN2+ alone.

Furthermore, as Fe(NO3)3 was added to another test tube containing the

prepared solution of FeSCN2+, the color also changes, presenting a a darker
shade of red. However, when NaH2PO4 was added to the solution, the color of the
solution changes to a yellowish one which can be explained by using Le
Chateliers Principle.
Le Chateliers Principle states that the concentration stress of an added
reactant or product is relieved by net reaction in the direction that consumes the
added substance furthermore, the concentration stress of a removed reactant or
product is relieved by net reaction in the direction that replenishes the removed
substance.
As FeSCN2+ reacts with KSCN, the concentration of stress added of SCN-shifts
the equilibrium from left to right and the red color gets darker. Similarly, as
Fe(NO3)3 was dropped in the solution, the concentration stress of added FE3+ is
relieved by net reaction from left to right which consumes the Fe3+ and increase
the concentration of FeSCN2+ making the solution change to a darker shade of
red (McMurry& Fay, 2008).
However, McMurry and Fay (2008) added that as Le Chateliers Principle is a
handy rule for predicting chanhes in the composition of an equilibrium mixture, it
doesnt explain why those changes occur. So in order to thoroughly picture out
how the principle works, we can use the mathematical relationshipaA + bB ->cC
+ dD specifically the Law of Mass Action which is represented by the following
expression:

Keq = [C]c [D]d / [A]a [B]b

Wherein the quotient (Qc) is equal to Keq presenting a system at equilibrium.
When the equilibrium is disturbed by increasing the concentration of reactant,

the denominator of the equilibrium constant expression increases yielding a

quotient (Qc) less than the Keq, so for the system to move to a new state of
equilibrium, the Qc must increase by increasing the numerator (product) and
decreasing the denominator.
In line with the experiment, as the FeSCN2+ was added with SCN, the
concentration of the reactant increases, making the quotient less than the

supposedly Keq. So the tendency of the system is to increase the quotient by

raising the amount product and reducing the reactants so the reaction will have a
forward shift, thereby increasing the quotient to adjust the system to equilibrium.
The constants Kc (Keq) and Kp for the general gas-phase reaction aA + bB
->cC + dD are related because the pressure of each component in a mixture of
ideal gases is directly proportional to its molecular concentration.
The equilibrium equation for Kp is therefore given by:
Kp= (PC)c(PD)d = [C] c [D] d * RT (c+d) - a+b)
(PA)a(PB)b
[A] a [B] b
Therefore, Kp= Kc (RT)(An)
Because gas pressures are easily measured, equilibrium equations for gasphase reactions are often written using partial pressures. The partial pressure of a
gas in a mixture is the pressure the gas would exert if it were the only one
present and is independent of the partial pressures of the other gases in the
mixture.
In relation to this, Table 4.3 shows the variations of color as the pressure in the
syringe was increased showing the effect of pressure on chemical equilibrium.
It was observed that as the plunger was pushed until the 4cc mark, the brown
gas turned to a lighter shade of brown.
As Le Chateliers Principle state, An increase in pressure by reducing the
volume will bring about net reaction in the direction that decreases the number of
moles of gas while a decrease in pressure will bring about net reaction in the
direction that increases the number of moles of gas.
2 no2 -> N2O4
Increasing the pressure on this equilibrium system will result in the
equilibrium position shifting to reduce the pressure, that is, to the side that has
the least number of gas particles.There are 2 gas particles on the left hand side of
the reaction and 1 gas particle on the right hand side of the reaction.Increasing
the pressure on this system results in the equilibrium position moving to the right,
consuming NO2(g) and producing more N2O4(g). The system will become a lighter
red-brown colour.Thus, increase in pressure favors the backward reaction and vice versa.
Meanwhile, Table 4.4 shows the effect of temperature on the chemical
equilibrium. As the

prepared solution was put on the cold water bath, the intial pink

solution turned to a lighter shade of pink and the test tube that was placed on the hot water
bath turned to violet solution. Afterwards, as the temperature was shifted from hot to cold
temperature, and cold to hot temperature, the color of the solution also shifted from light
pink to violet and vice versa.
For an endothermic reaction such as the reaction of the prepared solution of CoCl2,
heat is absorbed by the reaction in the forward direction. The equilibrium therefore shifts to
the product side at the higher temperature which means that equilibrium increases with
increasing temperature making the pink solution turned to a violet one. And the exothermic
reaction of CoCl2 wherein heat is released made possible the color alteration of the pink
solution to a lighter shade.
The equilibrium constant for an exothermic reaction decreases as the temperature
increases wherein the energy can be considered as a product of the reaction. Meanwhile, in
an endothermic reaction, the equilibrium constant is directly proportional to the temperature
which means that as Kc increases, the temperature also increases and the energy can be
considered as a reactant of the reaction.
You can predict the way in which Kc depends on temperature by using Le Chateliers
Principle. As it says, if heat is added to an equilibrium mixture thus increasing its
temperature, net recation occurs in the direction that relieves the stress of the added heat.
To generalize the idea, in an Endothermic Equilibrium Systems, Increasing the
temperature of the equilibrium system will shift the equilibrium position to the side that does
not include the energy term in order to reduce the temperature, that is to the rightmakinf
the color of the solution darker.Whereas in an Exothermic Equilibrium Systems,Increasing
the temperature of this equilibrium system shifts the equilibrium position to the left,
consuming some of the energy and products to produce more reactants making the color of
the solution lighter.

VI.

CONCLUSION

Chemical equilibrium is the state reached when the concentrations of

reactants and products remain constant over time.
There are some factors which instigate these changes to disturb a system at
equilibrium namely, the concentration, pressure and temperature.
The effect of any change in the reaction condition of a system in equilibrium
can be described using the Le Chateliers Principle.
On the effect of concentration on chemical equilibrium, Le Chateliers Principle
states that the concentration stress of an added reactant or product is relieved by net
reaction in the direction that consumes the added substance furthermore, the
concentration stress of a removed reactant or product is relieved by net reaction in
the direction that replenishes the removed substance which is supported by the
variations on the color of the FeSCN2+ solution as they were added with different
substances.
Meanwhile, LeChateliers Principle states that An increase in pressure by
reducing the volume will bring about net reaction in the direction that decreases the
number of moles of gas while a decrease in pressure will bring about net reaction in
the direction that increases the number of moles of gas which explains why the color
of the gas changes from brown to a lighter shade .
Furthermore, he described the effect of temperature on the equilibrium constant,
in two ways for an Endothermic reaction, Increasing the temperature of the
equilibrium system will shift the equilibrium position to the side that does not include
the energy term in order to reduce the temperature, that is to the right making the
color of the solution darker which explains why the test tube that was put on the hot
water bath became violet.

Whereas in an

Exothermic reaction, Increasing the

temperature of this equilibrium system shifts the equilibrium position to the left,
consuming some of the energy and products to produce more reactants making the

color of the solution lighter and which explains why the solution placed on the cold
water bath turns light pink.

VII.

LITERATURE CITED
Lower, S.K. 2001.Chemical Equilibrium: A chemical 1 reference text. California:
NP.
McMurry, J.E & Fay, R.C. 2008.Chemistry. (5thed.).Pof pub: Prentice Hall.
Atkin, P. & de Paula, J. 2010. Physical Cehmistry for the Life Sciences.(2nded.).
Place of pub:
Oxford University Press.
http://www.ausetute.com.au/lechatsp.html