An intermediate step in the process that ultimately produces sulfuric acid, is the catalytic oxidation of SO2 to SO3. Vanadium (V) oxide is the catalyst. The three chemical species in the reaction are in equilibrium as follows:

2SO2 (g) + O2 (g) ⇌2SO3 (g) Which of the following are true statements about this reaction? When SO2 is mixed with O2 in a container, the initial rate of the forward reaction (production of SO3) is faster than the initial rate of the reverse reaction (production of SO2). As SO2 is used up and SO3 accumulates, the rate of the forward reaction increases and the rate of the reverse reaction decreases. At equilibrium the rate of production of SO3 reaches zero. At equilibrium the concentration of SO2 will no longer be changing.

Question

Chemistry

Quintin Chavez

29 August, 11:04

An intermediate step in the process that ultimately produces sulfuric acid, is the catalytic oxidation of SO2 to SO3. Vanadium (V) oxide is the catalyst. The three chemical species in the reaction are in equilibrium as follows:

2SO2 (g) + O2 (g) ⇌2SO3 (g) Which of the following are true statements about this reaction? When SO2 is mixed with O2 in a container, the initial rate of the forward reaction (production of SO3) is faster than the initial rate of the reverse reaction (production of SO2). As SO2 is used up and SO3 accumulates, the rate of the forward reaction increases and the rate of the reverse reaction decreases. At equilibrium the rate of production of SO3 reaches zero. At equilibrium the concentration of SO2 will no longer be changing.

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Ralph Ali · Answer 1

When SO₂ is mixed with O₂ in a container, the initial rate of the forward reaction (production of SO₃) is faster than the initial rate of the reverse reaction (production of SO₂).

At equilibrium the concentration of SO₂ will no longer be changing.

Explanation:

Let's consider the following reaction.

2 SO₂ (g) + O₂ (g) ⇌ 2 SO₃ (g)

Which of the following are true statements about this reaction?

When SO₂ is mixed with O₂ in a container, the initial rate of the forward reaction (production of SO₃) is faster than the initial rate of the reverse reaction (production of SO₂). TRUE. Initially, when there is no SO₃ in the container, the rate of production of SO₂ is zero.

As SO₂ is used up and SO₃ accumulates, the rate of the forward reaction increases and the rate of the reverse reaction decreases. FALSE. As the equilibrium is reached, the rate of the forward reaction decreases and the rate of the reverse reaction increases.

At equilibrium the rate of production of SO₃ reaches zero. FALSE. At equilibrium, the rate of production of SO₃ is equal to the rate of production of SO₂, which is why the concentrations remain constant.

At equilibrium the concentration of SO₂ will no longer be changing. TRUE. At equilibrium, the concentrations of reactants and products remain constant.