Chemistry Spring 2012

Name: Hour: Chemical Equilibrium Lab

Background: Many of the reactions we have studied appear to use up all of one reactant or have gone to completion. In these reactions a precipitate formed or a gas escaped. But for most chemical reactions, a state of equilibrium is reached where some amount of all the reactants and products coexist. Equilibrium is a state where the forward and reverse reactions occur at equal rates. With such equal rates in opposite directions, each material is consumed and produced at the same rate, so there is no NET reaction. Each material remains at a constant concentration and all macroscopic properties remain constant. The equilibrium state can be expressed by a relationship between the concentrations of the reactants and products. This relationship is known as the equilibrium constant expression. This expression has a fixed value, the equilibrium constant, for reaction that is at equilibrium at a particular temperature. For a generalized reaction: aA + bB cC + dD (doubled headed arrow denote reversible reaction) the equilibrium expression is: [C]c [D]d = K eq [A]a [B]b Where Keq = the equilibrium constant and [ ] represents the concentration, molarity, of each material. A material whose concentration does not change in the reaction (solids, liquids, water, etc.) is omitted from the equilibrium expression. In addition to the quantitative equilibrium expression, qualitative predictions can be made using Le Chteliers Principle. Le Chteliers Principle states: if a system at equilibrium is subjected to a stress, the system shifts or reacts to relieve the stress. For instance, using the following equation: aA + bB cC + dD If some A is added to the system when it is at equilibrium, then the reaction will reestablish equilibrium by consuming the extra A and making more products. That is, the reaction shifts to the right to relieve the stress. In this lab we will observe and explain Le Chtelier shifts in four different chemical reactions. Procedure: 1. Read the directions for each reaction carefully before starting. 2. Record all observations on the observation sheet.

Reactions: 1. Chromate Dichromate Equilibrium 2 CrO42-(aq) + 2 H+(aq) Cr2O72-(aq) + H2O Yellow orange In a clean dry test tube place about 2 mL of 0.1 M K2CrO4, a clear yellow solution. Add drops of 3M H2SO4, sulfuric acid, until the orange dichromate ion has been formed. (CAUTION: this solution can cause burns when in it comes into contact with skin) Then add drops of 6M NaOH, sodium hydroxide, until the yellow chromate ion has been reforms. (CAUTION: this solution can cause burns when in it comes into contact with skin) Gently shake or stir the solutions during the reactions to keep the solutions well mixed. Repeat the addition of sulfuric acid. Record all observations. In a clean test tube place about a few mL of fresh chromate (yellow) solution. Add a 1 drop of BaCl2(aq) and mix. Record the results. Add drops of 6 M NaOH until all of the precipitate disappears and the color changes. Record observations. Repeat the addition of 3 M sulfuric acid and record observations. POUR THE CONTENTS OF THE TEST TUBE IN THE DESIGNATED WASTE CONTAINER.

2. Precipitation Equilibrium (Acid-Base Effects). Co2+(aq) + 2 OH-(aq) Co(OH)2(s) Pink blue In a clean dry test tube place a few drops of saturated cobalt (II) chloride solution (CoCl2). Record the starting color. Add drops of 6 M NaOH until the color changes. Observe any changes to the solution (color, ppt formation, temperature, etc.). Stir with a glass, stirring rod to make the solution homogeneous). Record the ending color. Now add drops of 3 M H2SO4 until the color changes (stir using a glass stirring rod). Observe the any color & temperature changes. Record all observations on piece of paper (to be handed in with the lab).
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3. Iron (III) ion- thiocyanate ion equilibrium Fe3+(aq) + SCN-(aq) FeSCN2+(aq) Orange-Brown In a small beaker place 10 drops of 0.20 M Fe(NO3)3(aq). Be very careful not to contaminate the stock solution. Note the color. Add 10 drops of 0.10 M KSCN(aq), again avoiding contamination of the stock solution. Mix the solution by gently swirling the beaker. Then note the color of the KSCN solution and the mixture. Add enough water to dilute the mixture to the color of weak tea. Fill five clean test tubes about full with the diluted mixture. Make sure each test tube has about the same volume of the mixture (they should all look the same, especially the intensity of the color of the solution). Test tube #1 is the control. Compare test tubes #2-5 to the control to determine any color changes. To the 2nd test tube, add 10-15 drops of 0.20 MFe(NO3)3(aq) solution. Compare to the control. Record observations. To the 3rd test tube, add 10-15 drops of 0.10 M KSCN(aq) solution. Compare to the control. Record observations. To the 4th test tube, add 10-15 drops of 6 M NaOH (CAUTION: this solution can cause burns when in it comes into contact with skin). o Note: Fe(OH)3 is insoluble in water, so a precipitate will form. This removes the Fe3+ ions from solution. o Observe the color intensity of the solution after the precipitate has settled. Compare to the control. Record observations. Heat the 5th test tube in water bath to nearly boiling. Compare to the control. Record observations. Discard the solutions. Clean all you glassware.

Questions and Write-up: (This needs to be on separate piece of paper). Answer the following questions on a separate piece of paper. Clearly organize into Parts and letters within parts. Include your observations in your explanations. Part 1: a. Write the equilibrium expression for the chromate-dichromate reaction. b. Under what conditions (acidic or basic) was the chromate-dichromate reaction orange? Yellow? c. Hydroxide ion (OH-), from the NaOH, reacts with the hydrogen ion, H+, to form water (i.e., the H+ is removed from the solution). This is a reversible reaction that reaches equilibrium. With this in mind, explain the color changes in the system when the acid and base are added respectively. (Hint: Le Chteliers Principle). d. Explain the formation and dissolving of the precipitate with the BaCl2 solution using Le Chteliers Principle. How was the ppt formed in the 1st place, what was the effect of adding OH-, and what was the effect of adding the H+. Part 2: a. What color was the precipitate? Is the forward reaction (Co2+ + OH- Co(OH)2(s)) exothermic or endothermic? b. Is the reverse reaction exothermic or endothermic? (Use your results from the addition of H2SO4) b. Use Le Chteliers Principle to explain how the addition of the acid (H2SO4) caused the precipitate to disappear. (Hint: remember that the reaction of OH- and H+ forms water, thus removing H+ from the reaction). Part 3: a. Write the equilibrium expression for the ion (III) ion-thiocyanate ions equilibrium. b. Explain the equilibrium changes in Test Tubes 2-4. Be specific. Include your observations. i. Test Tube #2: use Le Chteliers Principle to explain the color change when compared to the control (Test Tube #1).

ii.) Test Tube #3: use Le Chteliers Principle to explain the color change when compared to the control (Test Tube #1). iii). Test Tube #4: use Le Chteliers Principle to explain the color change when compared to the control (Test Tube #1). c. Is the reaction endothermic or exothermic? (Use results from test tube 5; compare the color change to the control (Test Tube #1). d. If the following equilibrium concentrations were obtained for this reaction, calculate the Keq for this reaction: [Fe3+] = 0.050 M; [SCN-] = 0.20M; [FeSCN2+] = .030 M. e. If the reaction was heated, would you expect Keq to increase, decrease or stay the same? Explain (refer to your answer from letter c).