What Is the Equilibrium Concentration of H2(g) at 1000°C?

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
5 replies · 4K views
Coco12
Messages
272
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



consider the following reaction: 2H2O(i) <-> 2H2(g) + O2(g)

kc=7.3*10^-18 at 1000oC

The initial concentration of water in a reaction vessel is 0.055 mol/L. What is the equilibrium concentration of H2(g) at 1000oC?


Homework Equations


h20 h2 02
I 0.055 0 0
C -2x +2x +x
E0.055-2x 2x x


The Attempt at a Solution



The equation I got is:

-4x^3+2.92*(10^-17) x^2 -1.606*(10^-18) x +2.20825*10^-20 =0

How do I solve it if it is a cubic function?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
1. You can guess a solution.
2. You can plot the equation and use that to estimate a solution, which can be refined with iteration.
3. You can use the cubic formula, which is much more involved than 1. or 2.

Given the relative magnitudes of the coefficients, roundoff will be a problem in evaluating possible solutions.
 
Coco12 said:

Homework Statement



consider the following reaction: 2H2O(i) <-> 2H2(g) + O2(g)

kc=7.3*10^-18 at 1000oC

The initial concentration of water in a reaction vessel is 0.055 mol/L. What is the equilibrium concentration of H2(g) at 1000oC?

Homework Equations


h20 h2 02
I 0.055 0 0
C -2x +2x +x
E0.055-2x 2x x

The Attempt at a Solution



The equation I got is:

-4x^3+2.92*(10^-17) x^2 -1.606*(10^-18) x +2.20825*10^-20 =0

How do I solve it if it is a cubic function?
Assume that x amount of H2O gets used up. x amount of H2 and x/2 amount of O2 is formed.

You can assume that x is far smaller than 0.055. So you get the following equilibrium expression:

$$K_{eq}=\frac{(x)^2(x/2)}{(0.055)^2}$$

The assumption is based on the fact that the equilibrium constant is in powers of 10^(-13).
 
Last edited:
In my ice tables I used 2x but u used 1/2x.. Did I do it right?
 
You have chosen different substance for x, so your have different equations, They should be equivalent though.