DAIZ, John Patrick P.

Date Performed: 02-18-16

22L, Group 3
Date Submitted: 02-23-16
CHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM

I.

Introduction

The state in which the rates of forward and backward reactions are equal and the
concentrations of the reactants and products remain constant with time is called Chemical
Equilibrium. This state of dynamic equilibrium is characterized by an equilibrium constant. The
equilibrium constant may be expressed in terms of partial pressure for gases and in molarities
for solutions (Chang, 2011). The Equilibrium constant provides information about the net
direction of a reversible reaction and the concentrations of the equilibrium mixture (Zumdahl,
2009). Chemical equilibrium is a dynamic situation. Since there are no changes that occur in the
concentrations of the reactants or products in a reaction system at chemical equilibrium, it may
seem that no activity ensues anymore. However, on the molecular level, a frantic activity occurs
(Zumdahl, 2009).
The balance between forward and reverse reactions is represented by chemical equilibrium.
In most cases, this balance is quite subtle. The balance may be disturbed by changes in
experimental conditions and may shift the equilibrium position so that more or less of the
desired product is formed. The three common factors that may disturb this balance and may
affect the system at equilibrium are: (1) a change in temperature, (2) a change in the
concentration of a reactant or product, and (3) a change in pressure (Brown et. al, 2012). We
can qualitatively predict the effects of changes in concentration, pressure, and temperature on a
system at equilibrium by using Le Chateliers principle, which states that if a change in
conditions (a stress) is imposed on a system at equilibrium, the equilibrium position will shift in
a direction that tends to reduce that change in conditions (Zumdahl, 2009).
This exercise aimed to help the students understand the concept of chemical equilibrium.
Specifically, the objectives of this exercise were:
1. to determine how the different factors such as concentration, pressure, and
temperature affect a system in chemical equilibrium; and
2. to explain the effect of these factors in terms of the Le Chateliers principle.

II.

Materials

A. Reagents
5.00-mL of 0.02 M KSCN
2-6 drops of 0.02 M Fe(NO3)3
2 drops of 0.02 M Na2H2PO4
1.50-mL CoCl2 solution in 12 M HCl
NaNO2 crystals
Distilled water
3-4 drops of 6 M HCl
B. Apparatus
Test tubes
Centrifuge tubes
250-mL beaker
10-mL pipet
C. Other materials
Syringe
White background
Hot plate
Rubber stopper
III.

Procedure

In order to study the effect of concentration on the chemical equilibrium of a system, a

solution was created by adding 5 mL of 0.02 M KSCN, 5mL distilled water , and 24 drops of
0.02 M Fe(NO3)3, respectively, in a test tube and was stirred. The solution was then further
divided into four marked test tubes. The first test tube was used as reference for comparison. In
the second test tube, a small crystal of KSCN was added. In the third test tube, a drop of 0.02 M
Fe(NO3)3 was added and in the fourth test tube, two drops of 0.02 M Na 2H2PO4 were added to
the solution. The observations were recorded in Table 4.1.
In order to study the effect of pressure on the chemical equilibrium of a system, a pinch
of NaNO2 was placed in a test tube and 3-4 drops of 6 M HCl were added to the test tube to
generate NO2. The procedure was done under the fumehood because NO 2 is a poisonous brown
gas and could change to N2O4, a colorless gas, depending on the condition of the system.
Subsequently, about 10 cc of the brown has was drawn into a syringe. A white background was
placed behind the syringe for better observation. The syringe was pressed hard against the
rubber stopper to prevent the escape of the gas then the plunger was quickly pushed down to
about the 5 cc mark and the pressure was maintained for five seconds. The initial color of the
gas, the color immediately after pushing in the plunger and the color after five seconds of
maintaining the pressure were recorded in Table 4.2.
In order to study the effect of temperature on the chemical equilibrium of a system, 0.5mL of a prepared solution of CoCl2 in 12 M HCl were each placed in three different test tubes.
The first test tube was placed in a hot-water bath, the second test tube was placed in a coldwater bath and the third one was used as a control. The three test tubes were observed and
compared after five minutes. Later, the test tube from the hot-water bath was placed in the cold-

water bath and vice-versa. The test tubes were allowed to stand for another five minutes. The
observations were recorded in Table 4.3.

IV.

Data and Observations

Table 4.1. Effect of Concentration on a System in Chemical Equilibrium

OBSERVATIONS
5 mL of 0.02 M KSCN + 5 mL of distilled
water + 2-4 drops of 0.02 M Fe(NO3)3

Homogeneous, red in color, liquid

KSCN-dH2O-Fe(NO3)3 solution + small

crystal of KSCN

Homogeneous, dark red in color, liquid

KSCN-dH2O-Fe(NO3)3 solution + 1 drop

of 0.02 M Fe(NO3)3

Homogeneous, darker red in color compared to the

first test tube but lighter than the second test tube,
liquid

KSCN-dH2O-Fe(NO3)3 solution + 2
drops of 0.02 M Na2H2PO4

Homogeneous, colorless, liquid

Table 4.2. Observations on the color of NO2 upon change in pressure

Initial color of the gas
Color of the gas immediately after
pushing down the plunger
Color of the gas after a few seconds of
maintaining pressure

Light brown
Dark brown
Light brown

Table 4.3. Effect of temperature on the system in chemical equilibrium

OBSERVATIONS
Test tube used as control containing 0.5 mL
of solution of COCl2 in 12 M HCl

homogeneous, light violet in color, liquid

Test tube containing 0.5 mL of solution of

COCl2 in 12 M HCl in hot-water bath

homogeneous, blue in color, liquid

Test tube containing 0.5 mL of solution of

COCl2 in 12 M HCl in cold-water bath

homogeneous, pink in color, liquid

Transferred test tube from the hot-water bath

to the cold-water bath

homogeneous, pink in color, liquid

Transferred test tube from the cold-water

bath to the hot-water bath

homogeneous, blue in color, liquid

V.

Discussion

The effect of concentration on a system in chemical equilibrium was studied. In the

generation of FeSCN2+, a deep red colored substance, the net ionic equation involved was:
Fe3+(aq) + SCN-(aq) FeSCN2+(aq)

As shown in Table 4.1, the addition of KSCN crystal in the second test tube
turned the solution from red into a dark red. In the same manner, the addition of a drop
of Fe(NO3)3 in the third test tube turned the solution from red into a dark red. The color
of the product in the third test tube was darker than the solution in the test tube as
control but is lighter compared to the one in the second test tube. In test tubes 2 and 3,
the addition of a reactant resulted to a darker red solution. This indicates that there is a
higher yield of FeSCN2+, the substance which is responsible for the solutions dark color.
A system at dynamic equilibrium is in a state of balance. When the
concentrations of species in the reaction are altered, the equilibrium shifts until a new
state of balance is attained. Shift means that reactant and product concentrations
change over time to accommodate the new situation. Shift does not mean that the
equilibrium constant itself is altered; the equilibrium constant remains the same. Le
Chateliers principle states that the shift is in the direction that minimizes or reduces the
effect of the change. Therefore, if a chemical system is already at equilibrium and the

concentration of any substance in the mixture is increased (either reactant or product),

the system reacts to consume some of that substance. Conversely, if the concentration
of a substance is decreased, the system reacts to produce some of that substance.
(Brown et. al, 2012). This means that in the exercise that was conducted, the addition in
the concentration of the reactants will cause the system to shift away from the reactant
side and thus executing a forward reaction, which means that more product will be
formed in order for the system to attain equilibrium (Zumdahl, 2009). This increase In
the product can be proven by the darker color of the resulting solutions upon the
addition of KSCN and Fe(NO3)3.
As for the addition of NaH 2PO4 in test tube 4, the net ionic equation below is
involved:
Fe3+(aq) + H2PO4- (aq) [Fe(H2PO4)2]2+ (aq)
The H2PO4 that was added reacted with Fe 3+ and thus causing a decrease in the
possible reactants in the chemical reaction involving Fe 3+ an SCN-. As a result, the
decrease in the amount of reactants will lead the concentration of the products to also
decrease. This means that in the exercise that was conducted, the decrease in the
concentration of the reactants caused for the system to execute a backward reaction to
attain equilibrium, thus forming less product. This decrease in the product formed can
be proven by the colorless solution that was formed upon the addition of NaH 2PO4.
The effect of pressure on a system in chemical equilibrium was also studied. As
shown in Table 4.2, the color of the gaseous solution was light brown when the system
was in chemical equilibrium. In this part of the exercise, the equation below is involved:
2NO2 (aq) N2O4 (aq)
The volume of the gaseous solution was rapidly reduced from 10cc to 5cc,
causing an increase in the pressure of the system in equilibrium. The decrease in the
volume of a substance, in turn, increase its concentration given that volume is inversely
proportional to the concentration (Chang, 2011). Because of this, the color of the gas
turned dark brown due to the increase in concentration of NO 2, explained by the law of
mass action using the equation below:
[N 2 O 4 ]
Keq =

[ NO 2 ]

The equation shows a greater concentration of NO 2, thus explaining the

presence of a darker color of the gas upon the exertion of pressure. However, after five
seconds, it was observed that the color of the gas turned from dark brown back to light
brown again. The substances were then noted to have taken equilibrium under the
exerted pressure given the amount of time for it to stabilize. This is noted by the
reversion of the color into the original color of the gaseous solution when the system
was in chemical equilibrium.

Finally, the effect of temperature on a system in chemical equilibrium was

studied. As shown in Table 4.3, it can be observed that the color of the test tube in
room temperature was red violet. This was used as control and served as basis for
comparison for the test tubes that will be subjected to different temperatures. The
system is represented by the following chemical equation:
[Co(H2O)6]2+ (aq) + 4Cl- (aq) [CoCl4]2+ (aq) + 6H2O (aq)
The solution in the test tube placed in the hot-water bath displayed a darker color
compared to the solution in the test tube at room temperature.
Because [Co(H2O)6]2+ is pink and [CoCl4]2+ is blue, the position of this equilibrium
is readily apparent from the color of the solution. When the solution is heated it turned
into blue, indicating that the equilibrium has shifted to form more [CoCl4]2+. Cooling the
solution leads to a pink solution, indicating that the equilibrium has shifted to produce
more [Co(H2O)6]2+.When the temperature of a system at equilibrium is increased, the
system reacts as if we added a reactant to an endothermic reaction or a product to an
exothermic reaction. The equilibrium shifts in the direction that consumes the excess
reactant (or product), namely heat. (Brown et. al, 2012). In an endothermic reaction,
such as the reaction between Co(H2O)62+ and Cl-, heat that is absorbed as reactants are
converted to products. Thus, increasing the temperature causes the equilibrium to shift
to the right, in the direction of making more products, and K increases. In an exothermic
reaction, the opposite occurs: Heat is produced as reactants are converted to products.
Thus, increasing the temperature in this case causes the equilibrium to shift to the left,
in the direction of making more reactants, and K decreases. In contrast, cooling a
reaction has the opposite effect. As we lower the temperature, the equilibrium shifts in
the direction that produces heat. Thus, cooling an endothermic reaction shifts the
equilibrium to the left, decreasing K and cooling an exothermic reaction shifts the
equilibrium to the right, increasing K (Brown et. al, 2012).
For the future performances of the exercise, it is recommended for the
experiment in part A, wherein the effect of concentration on the system in chemical
equilibrium was studied, that the future performers strictly add the reagents in this
particular order: KSCN, FeNO3, and H20 in order to get the needed deep red color of
the solution. If the color isnt achieve, the performers may add more drops of FeNO3 but
must be noted. In the second part of the experiment, it is recommended that the future
performers use more than just a pinch of NaNO2 to be able to generate more NO2 for
the said activity. Overall, it is recommended that the future performers be as keen as
possible in observing the reactions and changes in the system for lower deviation of
results among the groups.
VI.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that various factors may affect a system in chemical

equilibrium. These factors are: concentration, temperature, and pressure and etc. These
changes can be explained through Le Chateliers principle saying that when a stress is

applied into a system in chemical equilibrium, the system will adjust in order to reduce
the stress.
In terms of concentration, when the concentration of the reactants is increased,
the reaction will shift to the right, forming more products, in order to attain and maintain
equilibrium. In contrast, a decrease in the concentration of the reactants will cause the
system to undergo a backward reaction, causing the system to shift to the left to
increase the concentration of the reactants, forming now less products to attain or
maintain equilibrium.
In terms of pressure, an increase in pressure, caused by decrease in the volume,
will increase the concentration of the products and the reactants. A quick exertion of
pressure in the system will cause the substance with the lower concentration to
increase in concentration but will eventually reach equilibrium and reduce the stress
applied by the pressure.
And lastly, in terms of temperature, in an endothermic reaction, heat that is
absorbed as reactants are converted to products. Thus, increasing the temperature
causes the equilibrium to shift to the right, in the direction of making more products, and
in an exothermic reaction, the opposite occurs. In contrast, cooling a reaction has the
opposite effect. As we lower the temperature, the equilibrium shifts in the direction that
produces heat. Thus, cooling an endothermic reaction shifts the equilibrium to the left,
and cooling an exothermic reaction shifts the equilibrium to the right.

Bibliography
Brown, Theodore L., et al. "Chemistry: The Central Science." Ed. Adam Jaworski. 12. Pearson
Prentice Hall, 2012.
Chang, R. and J. Overby. General Chemistry: The Essential Concepts. The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc., 2011. 110-112, 114-117.
Zumdahl, Steven S. Chemical Principles. 6th. New York: Houghton Miffflin Company, 2009.