Dismiss Notice
Join Physics Forums Today!
The friendliest, high quality science and math community on the planet! Everyone who loves science is here!

Homework Help: Car engines

  1. Apr 6, 2007 #1

    afcwestwarrior

    User Avatar

    im wondering what reaction would likely occur
    2NO (g) → N2(g) + O2(g) or the reverse

    2CO (g) + O2(g) → 2CO2 (g) or the reverse

    well the first one would occur if it were the reverse because of the high temperatures in the engine, but im wondering about carbon monoxide, what do you guys think
     
    afcwestwarrior, Apr 6, 2007
  2. jcsd
    Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories on Phys.org
  3. Apr 6, 2007 #2

    afcwestwarrior

    User Avatar

    wait a minute, All internal combustion engines depend on the exothermic chemical process of combustion
    so therefore these are more likely to occure the way i wrote them
     
    afcwestwarrior, Apr 6, 2007
  4. Apr 7, 2007 #3

    gravenewworld

    User Avatar

    Calculate the change in the gibbs free energy for each reaction and the reverse from the thermodynamic data in the back of any general chemistry text. That will tell you which is going to more spontaneously occur.
     
    gravenewworld, Apr 7, 2007
  5. Apr 7, 2007 #4

    afcwestwarrior

    User Avatar

    i did, and the ones i wrote are both spontaneous, but the reverse are endothermic
     
    afcwestwarrior, Apr 7, 2007
  6. Apr 8, 2007 #5

    pixel01

    User Avatar

    Thermaldynamically, those reaction are spontaneous, but the time is so short that they can not convert completely. Reactions take time.
     
    pixel01, Apr 8, 2007
Share this great discussion with others via Reddit, Google+, Twitter, or Facebook