Equilibrium calculations involving units of Kc

Recap of previous knowledge

-

State Le Chateliers principle.

Explain how pressure and temperature affects equilibrium position
Write down the equilibrium expression Kc for the reaction N2(g) + 3H2(g)

2NH3(g);

Equilibrium expressions and equilibrium constant Kc

An equilibrium expression is a relationship between the equilibrium constant and the
concentration or partial pressures of reactants and products.
Kc means equilibrium constant in concentration terms. Square brackets, [ ] is used to
represent concentration.
Writing equilibrium expression
The following rules are followed when writing and using expressions involving equilibrium
constant Kc.
- Kc applies to reactions which can involve any state of matter.
- Species on the right of i.e. products appear as the numerator (on top) and species on the
left of i.e. reactants appear as the denominator (under) on the equilibrium expression
- The power to which the concentration of each species is raised in the equilibrium
expression is equal to the coefficient (mole ratio) of the species in the stoichiometric
equilibrium reaction
- Pure solids and/or pure liquids do not appear in the equilibrium expression for
equilibrium involving gases
- Water as a product or reactant does not appear in a equilibrium expression for a reaction
in aqueous medium
For a general equilibrium reaction of the form: aW + bH cY + dZ, where a, b, c and d
are the number of moles in the equation, the equilibrium constant (Kc) in terms of molar
concentration (Kc) is given below by the equilibrium law.
KC

[Y]c [Z]d
[W]a [H]b

. [Y] is the concentration of product Y at equilibrium.

An equilibrium constant (Kc) in terms of molar concentration (Kc) for the equilibrium reaction
N2(g) + 3H2(g) 2NH3(g); is given below by the equilibrium law as:
[NH 3(g) ]2
KC
.
[N 2(g) ] [H 2(g) ]3
Equilibrium calculations involving units of Kc
The units of the equilibrium constant; Kc for the equilibrium N2(g) + 3H2(g) 2NH3(g); can be
derived using the steps below:
Step 1: Write down equilibrium expression for Kc and substitute moldm-3 into it.
[NH 3(g) ]2
(moldm -3 ) 2
KC
and units of Kc =
(moldm -3 )(moldm -3 ) 3
[N 2(g) ] [H 2(g) ]3
Step 2: then simplify to obtain (moldm-3)2 - 1 - 3 = (moldm-3)-2 = mol-2dm6.

For an equilibrium with the number of moles of gaseous reactants equal to number of moles of
gaseous products, Kc is always equal to Kp i.e. Kc = Kp. The equilibrium constants (Kc or
Kp) also has no units i.e. are dimensionless. Examples of such reactions are:
3Fe(s) + 4H2O(g) Fe3O4(s) + 4H2(g),
H2(g) + I2(g) 2HI(g),
N2(g) + O2(g) 2NO(g),
CO(g) + H2O(g) CO2(g) + H2(g),
2BrCl(g) Br2g) + Cl2(g),
Cl2(g) Cl(g) + Cl(g), etc.
An equilibrium constant (Kc) in terms of molar concentration (Kc) for the equilibrium reaction
[NH 3(g) ]2
N2(g) + 3H2(g) 2NH3(g); is given below by the equilibrium law as: K C
.
[N 2(g) ] [H 2(g) ]3
Calculating Kc.
Example: 2 moles of HI(g) is allowed to dissociate in a 2dm3 vessel at 440C. Only 1.56 mol of
HI(g) were left is equilibrium. The equilibrium reaction is 2HI(g) H2(g) + I2(g)
Calculate the equilibrium constant of this reaction at 440C?

Steps below can be followed to calculate the Kc

Step 1: From the balanced equilibrium reaction, write down the expression for Kc.
[H 2(g) ] [I 2(g) ]
Kc
[HI (g) ]2
Step 2: Deduce the number of moles of each species present at equilibrium.
I
C
E

2HI(g)
2
0.44
1.56

H2(g)
0
+0.22
+0.22

I2(g)
0
+0.22
+0.22

Step 3: Calculate the concentration of each species present in the Kc expression.

[HI(g)] = 1.56 mol/2 dm3 = 0.78 moldm-3.
[H2(g)] = [I2(g)] = 0.22 mol/2 dm3 = 0.11 moldm-3.
Step 4: Substitute the respective concentrations of each species into Kc expression to obtain Kc value.
[H 2(g) ] [I 2(g) ]
(0.11)(0.1 1)
0.0121

= 0.02.
Kc

2
2
(0.78)
0.6084
[HI (g) ]
Note that Kc above has no units
Exercise

2mol of N2(g) and 3mol of H2(g) are mixed in a 2dm3 closed system. After some time, the
equilibrium amount of N2(g) in the equilibrium reaction: N2(g) + 3H2(g) 2NH3(g) is found to
be 1.6 mol . Calculate Kc.
Factors affecting equilibrium constant.
-

Change in concentration: Changing concentration has no effect on equilibrium constant

provided other factors are kept constant. When concentration is changed, equilibrium is

disturbed and system readjust its to restore equilibrium such that such that the ratio of the
new concentrations of products to reactants is equal to the Kc value before the change.
- Change in pressure: Changing pressure has no effect on equilibrium constant provided
other factors are kept constant. When pressure is changed, equilibrium is disturbed and
system readjust its to restore equilibrium such that such that the ratio of the partial
pressures of products to reactants is equal to the Kp value before the change.
- Change in temperature: Changing temperature causes a change in equilibrium constant
even with other factors kept constant. When temperature is changed,
equilibrium is disturbed and system readjust its to restore equilibrium such that
such that an endothermic reaction or an exothermic reaction is favoured.
In this case, the ratio of the new concentrations of products to reactants is not equal
to the Kc value before the change in temperature.
Thus temperature is the only factor that affects equilibrium constant Kc or Kp.
If equilibrium constant Kc or Kp increases with increase in temperature, it implies that
forward reaction is exothermic. If equilibrium constant Kc or Kp increases with increase in
temperature, it implies that forward reaction is exothermic. Consider the equilibrium reaction:
2HI(g) H2(g) + I2(g); H = +9.6kJmol-1. The equilibrium constant Kc increases with increase in
temperature as shown on the table below.
Temperature / K
300
500
1000
Exercise:
Check-up 7 page 138 and check-up 8 page 139

Kc (no units)
1.26 x 10-3
6.25 x 10-3
18.5 x 10-3