Chemical Reaction and Equilibrium

07.04 Equilibrium: Lab Report
Equilibrium Lab Report
Before You Begin: You may either copy and paste this document into a word processing program of your choice or print this page.
Data and Observations:
Insert data tables for each part of the lab (Part I, Part II, and Part III).
Part I
Round
Reactants
Products
1
25
15
2
19
21
3
17
23
4
16
24
5
16
24
6
16
24
7
16
24
8
16
24
9
16
24
10
16
24
25+19+17+16(7)=173 15+21+23+24(7)=227
Product/Reactants==227/213=1.07
24:16=3:2:=1.5 Calculate the ratio of products to reactants for each part of the lab. Show the setup as well as the simplified ratio.
Part II
40:40
Round
Reactants
Products
1
35
45
2
33
47
3
32
48
4
32
48
5
32
48
6
32
48
7
32
48
8
32
48
9
32
48
10
32
48
Ratio:
40+35+33+32(8)=364
40+45+47+48(8)=516
Products/Reactants=348/331=1.41
48/32=6/4=3/2=1.5

Part III
Round
Reactants
Products
1
25
15
2
19
21
3
17
23
4
16
24
5
41
39
6
35
45
7
33
47
8
32
48
9
32
48
10
32
48
11
32
48
12
32
48
13
32
48
14
32
48
Ratio:
48:32=6:4=3:2=1.5

Conclusion:
Answer the following questions in complete sentences, giving detailed explanations and support for each of your answers.
1. Explain in your own words what it means for a chemical system to be in the state of dynamic equilibrium.

After a reaction has occurred for awhile at a given temperature, the forward and reverse reaction rate will eventually be equal. Although you may get this confused, the concentration may not be equal, but the rate will. This occurs in a closed system. In other terms, dynamic equilibrium is when no change appears; as the rate of reverse and forward are equal. The relationship between reactants and products is portrayed in this property. For example; imagine there are 100 people at a party. Every ten minutes, 5 people leave; however coincidently 5 people arrive at the same time. The amount of people will always be constant. Likewise, the rate of reaction will also be constant eventually.

2. Describe what you observed in each part of this lab. Do you think that each part of this activity helped illustrate the concepts of equilibrium? Explain your answer completely in paragraph form.

In each part of the lab, I observed a consistent pattern. As the reactants were decreasing, the products were increasing. This shows that this is two-way, and it helped represent a certain state of being where the rate of forming of products becomes equal to that of the reactants. Which soon showed a constant where it had reached equilibrium. I absolutely think this lab helped “cement” my understanding of equilibrium. I know that when a reaction occurs there is a possibility that under specific conditions, the products form back into reactants; reactants back to products. The cycle does not stop, but reaches a constant, eventually.

3. How did the calculated ratios of product to reactant compare in the three parts of this activity. Explain, in paragraph form, if these ratios illustrate the concept of the law of mass action and the equilibrium constant of a system. 

3. In my results, I do think the ratios helped to display the topic attempting to be shown. In each of the parts, the ratios were either identical (1.5). This shows with this mathematical model that we can predict and explain behaviors of solution in a reaction that has reached dynamic equilibrium. Additionally, it represented the equilibrium constant by showing the ratios. When the constant is divided by the quotient coefficients it should be near or 1. My results showed this.

4. What determines when a system reaches equilibrium? What observations can be made about a system once equilibrium has been established? 

4. We know a system reaches equilibrium when the two opposite sides (reactants and products) are occurring at the same rate, so there is no net charge in the mass. If they were to be measured the rate would be constant; however the concentration may not be. What may be observed is a balanced amount of substance rate, and rather a “compromise.”

5. What does the value, or magnitude, of the equilibrium constant (K) tell you about an equilibrium system? Be specific with your answer. 

5. The value of (K) tells you whether the products or reactants are favored in the reaction. If the equilibrium is greater than 1 than more products will exist than reactants. This means the reaction will be farther to the right. If the equilibrium is less than 1, than it will lie farther to the right. This means that there will be more reactants than products.

6. In real life, a given system can approach equilibrium from different starting points but will still have the same equilibrium constant. How is this possible? Explain your answer in complete sentences.
6. If you begin with mostly reactants, the forward reaction will occur rapidly while the reverse reaction occurs either very slowly or not at all. As more products are produced, the rate of the reverse reaction will increase until the two reactions are occurring at the same rate. On the other hand, if you begin with mainly products, the reverse reaction will occur more rapidly while the forward reaction occurs only very slowly. As more reactants are produced, the forward reaction rate will increase, again until equilibrium is reached.