Question
The dissociation of phosgene is represented as follows:
When the mixture of these three gases is compressed at constant temperature, what happens to:
(i) the amount of CO in the mixture.
(ii) the partial pressure of COCl2
(iii) the equilibrium constant for the reaction?
Solution
(i) The forward reaction is accompanied by the increase of pressure. If the pressure of the equilibrium mixture is increased at constant temperature then according to Le-Chatelier’s principle, the equilibrium will shift in the backward direction i.e. the amount of CO in the mixture will decrease.
(ii) As the equilibrium shifts in the backward direction, the partial pressure of COCl2will increase.
(iii) For the reaction
As [CO] and [Cl2] decrease and [COCl2] increases, the value of equilibrium constant K will decrease.
