UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

UNIT 4
INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
Teacher Version

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Contents

a) Energy Changes
b) Rates of Reaction
c) Equilibrium

Key words: enthalpy, enthalpy change, exothermic, endothermic, enthalpy level diagram, molar enthalpy change,
enthalpy of formation, enthalpy of combustion, enthalpy of neutralisation, enthalpy of solution, energy content,
collision, effective collision, collision frequency, collision energy, activation energy, catalyst, surface area,
concentration-time graph, gradient, tangent, dynamic equilibrium, equilibrium constant, Le Chatelier’s Principle

Units which must be completed before this unit can be attempted:

Unit 1 – Atoms and the Periodic Table
Unit 2 – Particles, Bonding and Structures
Unit 3 – Amount of Substance and Measurement

Estimated Teaching Time: 11 hours

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 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

UNIT 4 SUMMARY AND SYLLABUS REFERENCE

Lesson Title and Syllabus Reference

1 Energy Changes in Chemical Reactions
CA6a Energy changes in physical and chemical processes (enthalpy, energy diagrams, forms of energy,
energy content, transfer of energy); CA6b description, definition and illustrations of energy changes and
effects (exothermic and endothermic processes, total energy of a system as the sum of various forms of
energy e.g. kinetic, potential, electrical, heat, sound etc)
2 Defining and Calculating Molar Enthalpy Changes
CA6b description, definition and illustrations of energy changes and effects (enthalpy changes of the
following: formation, combustion, solution, neutralization); CC3 enthalpies of reaction
3 Measuring Enthalpy Changes
CA6b description, definition and illustrations of energy changes and effects (practical knowledge of the
measurement of the heats of neutralisation and solution); CA13iv General Skills and Principles -
measurement of heats of neutralisation and solution
4 Enthalpies of Combustion and Fuels
CA6b description, definition and illustrations of energy changes and effects (uses of energy changes
including energy content of foods and fuels); CC3 enthalpies of reaction (measurement of the enthalpy of
combustion (in outline) by calorimetry)
5 Simple Collision Theory
CA9aii theory of reaction rates (collision theory and activation energy theory to be treated qualitatively
only, effective collision, activation energy, energy profile showing activation energy and enthalpy change)
6 Factors Affecting Rates of Reaction I
CA9ai factors affecting rates: concentration of reactants, temperature (for gaseous systems, pressure
may be used as concentration term, appropriate experimental demonstration for each factor is required);
CA9aii theory of reaction rates (factors influencing collisions: temperature and concentration)
7 Factors Affecting Rates of Reaction II
CA9ai factors affecting rates: physical states, catalysts and medium (appropriate experimental
demonstration for each factor is required)
8 Measuring Rates of Reaction
CA9a rate of reaction (definition of reaction rates); CA13avi determination of rates of reaction from
concentration versus time curves
9 Reversible Reactions and Equilibrium
CA9bi general principles (reversible reactions i.e. dynamic equilibrium, the equilibrium constant K must
be treated qualitatively, it must be stressed that K for a system is constant at constant temperature)
10 Le Chatelier’s Principle
CA9bii Le Chatelier’s Principle (prediction of the effects of external influence of concentration,
temperature and pressure changes on equilibrium systems)
11 Unit 4 Revision and Summary

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UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

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 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

Lesson 1 – What are the energy changes taking place during chemical reactions?

Thinkabout Activity 1.1: What is potential energy?

- What does the term “potential energy” mean? How many different types of potential energy can you name?
- What type of potential energy do all objects have on the surface of the earth? How can you increase or
decrease this energy? How can you have zero potential energy in this situation?
- What type of potential energy exists between protons and electrons? How can you increase or decrease this
energy? How can you have zero potential energy in this situation?
- When potential energy decreases, what usually happens to that energy?

Note: students are likely to have very different and inaccurate understandings of what potential energy is at this
stage; the purpose of this opening activity and discussion is to address some of the misconceptions about energy
in general and potential energy in particular
- Energy associated with attraction or repulsion
- Gravitational, chemical, nuclear, spring
- Gravitational; you increase it by moving away from the earth and decrease it by moving towards the earth; if
you have zero gravitational potential energy you are completely free of the earth’s gravitational pull;
otherwise you have negative gravitational potential energy
- chemical; you increase it by moving electron away from the nucleus and decrease it by moving it towards the
nucleus; if the electron has zero chemical potential energy it is completely free of the nuclear pull (the atom
has been ionised); otherwise it has negative chemical potential energy

a) Energy Changes in Chemical Reactions

(i) Exothermic and endothermic reactions

• Potential energy is a type of energy resulting from the attraction or repulsion between different particles

• Particles which repel each other have a positive potential energy; as repelling particles are forced closer
together, their potential energy increases; as they move further apart, their potential energy decreases until
they are an infinite distance apart and they have zero potential energy (eg the north poles of two magnets)

• Particles which are attracted to each other have a negative potential energy; as attracting particles get closer
together, their potential energy becomes more negative (ie it decreases); as attracting particles are pulled
further apart, their potential energy becomes less negative (ie it increases) until they are pulled an infinite
distance apart and they have zero potential energy (eg a spaceship and a planet)

• All chemical substances are held together by the attraction between protons and electrons; all chemical
substances therefore have a negative potential energy (called chemical potential energy); the stronger the
attractive forces holding the substance together, the more negative (ie the lower) the potential energy of
the substance and the more stable it is

• Chemical potential energy is also known as enthalpy and is given the symbol H

• When a chemical reaction takes place, the products and reactants have different potential energies and thus
there is a change in enthalpy; however since total energy is always conserved, any change in enthalpy must
be balanced by an equal and opposite change in kinetic, or heat energy; the change in enthalpy during a
chemical reaction is shown by the symbol ΔH

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 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

• In some reactions, the products are more stable than the reactants; the products therefore have a lower
enthalpy than the reactants, and the enthalpy of the reacting species decreases; this can be shown in an
enthalpy level diagram:

• In these reactions the enthalpy decreases so there is a negative enthalpy change. (ΔH = -ve); since the total
energy is always conserved, the heat energy of the species must increase by an equal amount; the
surrounding temperature therefore increases

• In these reactions, there is a transfer of energy from chemical potential energy to heat energy and an
increase in temperature; such reactions give out heat and are said to be EXOTHERMIC

• In practice, not all of the energy will be transferred into heat (kinetic) energy; in some cases, sound energy
will be produced as well; it is also possible in some cases to produce electrical energy rather than heat
energy; but the loss in chemical potential energy will always be equal to the total gain in heat, kinetic,
electrical or sound energy

• Almost all combustion reactions are exothermic (eg burning methane, burning charcoal, respiration)

• In other reactions, the reactants are more stable than the products; the products therefore have a higher
enthalpy than the reactants, and the enthalpy of the reacting species increases

• This can be shown in an enthalpy level diagram:

• In these reactions the enthalpy increases so there is a positive enthalpy change (ΔH = +ve); since the total
energy is always conserved, the heat energy of the species must decrease by an equal amount; the
surrounding temperature therefore decreases

• In these reactions, there is a transfer of energy from heat energy to chemical potential energy and a
decrease in temperature; such reactions absorb heat and are said to be ENDOTHERMIC

• Photosynthesis is an example of an endothermic reaction; ice melting and water boiling are also
endothermic processes

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 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

Test your knowledge 1.2: Describing Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions

When one mole of methane burns in oxygen to make carbon dioxide and water, the potential energy of the
chemicals decreases by 890 kJ
(a) What type of reaction is this? Draw an enthalpy profile diagram for the reaction.
(b) Where does the 890 kJ of potential energy go?
When one mole of water evaporates, the potential energy of the chemicals increases by 44 kJ
(a) What type of reaction is this? Draw an enthalpy profile diagram for the reaction.
(b) Where does the 44 kJ of potential energy come from?

(a) Exothermic
(b) It is converted into kinetic (heat) energy; the particles get hotter /move faster

(a) Endothermic
(b) It comes from kinetic (heat) energy; the particles get colder /move more slowly

Lesson 2 – How do we calculate and record enthalpy changes?

(ii) Calculating and Recording Energy Changes

Summary Activity 2.1: How can we calculate the number of moles?

- How many moles of methane (CH4) are present in (a) 100 g of methane; (b) 500 cm3 of methane at 298 K
and 300 kPa
- How many moles of glucose (C6H12O6) are present in 1000 g of glucose?
- (a) 100/16 = 6.25 moles; (b) (300000 x 0.0005)/(8.31 X 298) = 0.0606 moles
- 1000/180 = 5.56 moles

• The enthalpy change during a chemical reaction (ie the amount of heat energy absorbed or released)
depends on the amount of substance used; it is therefore necessary to specify the amount of reactants used
when recording energy changes; enthalpy changes are generally measured per mole of reacting substance
and typically have units of kJmol-1; this is the molar enthalpy change of a reaction

• Given a reaction: A + 3B → 2C + 4D; the molar enthalpy change for this reaction, in kJmol-1, is taken to be the
enthalpy change when one mole of A reacts with three moles of B to give two moles of C and four moles of D

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 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

• The heat change (q) can be converted into a molar enthalpy change (ΔH) by the following conversion: q = ΔH
x n or ΔH = q/n (n = number of moles)
Eg If 0.2 moles of A react with 0.6 moles of B, 200 kJ of energy are released. What is the molar
enthalpy change of the reaction?
Ans: If 0.2 moles of A releases 200 kJ, 1 mole must release 200/0.2 = 1000 kJ
so the molar enthalpy change is -1000 kJmol-1

Test your knowledge 2.2: Using molar enthalpy changes

1. The combustion of methane is an exothermic reaction:
CH4 + 2O2 → CO2 + 2H2O ΔH = -890 kJmol-1
(a) What will be the enthalpy change for the following reaction? CO2 + 2H2O → CH4 + 2O2
(b) Calculate the heat energy released when 100 g of methane is burned
(c) Calculate the heat energy released when 500 cm3 of methane is burned at 298 K and 300 kPa
(d) Calculate the mass of methane required to produce 50,000 kJ of heat energy
2. Photosynthesis is an endothermic reaction:
6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2 ΔH = +2802 kJmol-1
(a) What will be the enthalpy change for the following reaction? C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O
(b) Calculate the amount of light energy required to make 1000 g of glucose
(c) Calculate the amount of light energy required to absorb 500 cm3 of carbon dioxide at 298 K and 100
kPa
(d) Calculate the mass of glucose which can be made when a tree absorbs 10,000 kJ of light energy

1. (a) +890 kJmol-1; (b) n = 6.25 so q = ΔH x n = 6.25 x 890 = 5560 kJ; (c) n = 0.0606 so q = ΔH x n = 0.0606 x
890 = 53.9 kJ; (d) n = q/ΔH = 50000/890 = 56.2 moles; m = n x mr = 899 g
2. (a) -2802 kJmol-1; (b) n = 5.56 so q = ΔH x n = 5.56 x 2802 = 15600 kJ; (c) n (CO2) = 0.0606 so n (C6H12O6) =
0.0101 so q = ΔH x n = 0.0101 x 2802 = 28.3 kJ; (d) n = q/ΔH = 10000/2802 = 3.57 moles; m = n x mr = 642
g

• The enthalpy changes of some reactions are frequently used in chemistry and so have been given special
names:
- The enthalpy of formation of a substance is the enthalpy change when one mole of that substance is
formed from the most stable allotropes of its elements in their standard states
Eg C(s) + 2H2(g) → CH4(g), H = -74.8 kJmol-1
So the enthalpy of formation of methane is -74.8 kJmol-1
Eg H2(g) + 1/2O2(g) → H2O(l), H = -285.8 kJmol-1;
So the enthalpy of formation of water is -285.8 kJmol-1
- The standard enthalpy of formation of all elements in their standard states is zero
- It is usually not possible to measure enthalpies of formation directly

- The enthalpy of combustion of a substance is the enthalpy change when one mole of that substance is
burned in an excess of oxygen
Eg H2(g) + 1/2O2(g) → H2O(l), H = -285.8 kJmol-1
So the enthalpy of combustion of hydrogen is -285.8 kJmol-1
Eg CH4(g) + 2O2(g) → CO2(g) + 2H2O(l), H = -890.3 kJmol-1
So the enthalpy of combustion of methane is -890.3 kJmol-1
- Burning a substance in oxygen is almost always exothermic, so standard enthalpies of combustion
almost always have negative values
- Substances which do not support combustion, like water, carbon dioxide and most other oxides, have
zero enthalpy of combustion
- It is usually possible to measure enthalpies of combustion directly

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 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

- The enthalpy of neutralisation of an acid and a base is the enthalpy change when one mole of water is
formed by the reaction of that acid with that base
Eg HCl(aq) + NaOH(aq) → NaCl(aq) + H2O(l), H = -285.8 kJmol-1
So the enthalpy of neutralisation of HCl by NaOH is -57.3 kJmol-1
It is usually possible to measure enthalpies of neutralisation directly
- The enthalpy of solution is the enthalpy change when one mole of a substance is dissolved in an excess
of water
Eg NaCl(s) → Na+(aq) + Cl-(aq), H = +11.1 kJmol-1
So the enthalpy of solution of NaCl is +11.1 kJmol-1
- It is usually possible to measure enthalpies of solution directly

Test your knowledge 2.3: Describing Special Enthalpy Changes

Write equations for the reactions whose molar enthalpy change is described by the following terms:
(a) the enthalpy of formation of carbon dioxide
(b) the enthalpy of formation of butane (C4H10)
(c) the enthalpy of combustion of butane (C4H10)
(d) the enthalpy of combustion of magnesium
(e) the enthalpy of neutralisation of nitric acid by potassium hydroxide
(f) the enthalpy of solution of magnesium chloride

(a) C(s) + O2(g) → CO(g)

(b) 4C(s) + 5H2(g) → C4H10(g)
(c) C4H10(g) + 5O2(g) → 4CO2(g) + 5H2O(l)
(d) Mg(s) + ½O2(g) → MgO(s)
(e) HNO3(aq) + KOH(aq) → KNO3(aq) + H2O(l)
(f) MgCl2(s) → Mg2+(aq) + 2Cl-(aq)

Lesson 3 – How do we measure enthalpies of neutralisation and solution?

(iii) Measuring enthalpy changes

• Energy changes are generally measured by carrying out a reaction under controlled conditions in a
laboratory and measuring the temperature change

• Solution and neutralisation reactions (and many other reactions) take place in aqueous solution; when the
reaction takes place, the temperature of the solution increases or decreases depending on whether the
reaction is exothermic or endothermic; for accurate results, the reaction container should be well insulated
so heat is not lost to the surroundings

• The amount of energy required to change the temperature of a system by 1K is known as the heat capacity
of a system (Hc), measured in JK-1; the energy change (q) for a given reaction can therefore be calculated
from the temperature change ( T) from the equation: q = ΔT x Hc

• The specific heat capacity (c) is the amount of heat required to heat 1 g of a substance by 1K
- so heat capacity = specific heat capacity x mass (c = m x Hc)
- but mass = volume x density, so heat capacity = specific heat capacity x volume x density
- so the energy change (q) = VρcΔT or q = mcΔT

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 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

• If a reaction is taking place in solution (and therefore water is the main species present) it is reasonable to
assume that the solution behaves as if it were pure water; the density of water is 1.0 gcm-3 and the specific
heat capacity of water is 4.18 Jg-1K-1; so q = total volume of solution (x 1) x 4.18 x ΔT

• The molar enthalpy change (ΔH) can then be calculated by dividing the energy change by the number of
moles of reactants: ΔH = q/n

• If the temperature goes up the reaction is exothermic and the enthalpy change is negative; if the
temperature goes down the reaction is endothermic and the enthalpy change is positive

Example:
Zinc will displace copper from copper (II) sulphate solution according to the following equation:
CuSO4(aq) + Zn(s) → Cu(s) + ZnSO4(aq)
If an excess of zinc powder is added to 50 cm3 of 1.0 moldm-3 copper(II) sulphate, the temperature increases by
6.3 oC. Calculate the molar enthalpy change for the reaction.
Answer:
m = mass of solution being heated = volume x density = 1 x 50 = 50 g
q = Heat change = 50 x 4.18 x 6.3 = 1317 J = 1.317 kJ
n = moles of CuSO4 = 50/1000 x 1 = 0.05
ΔH = molar enthalpy change = 1317/0.05 = 26.3 kJmol-1
Temperature has increased, so reaction is exothermic, so sign should be -ve: 26.3 kJmol-1

Practical 3.1: Determine the molar enthalpy of solution of ammonium chloride (NH4Cl)
1) Place a clean, dry polystyrene cup inside a glass beaker.
2) Pour 100 cm3 of water into the cup using a measuring cylinder. Record the initial temperature of the
water.
3) Use a weighing boat to weigh out approximately 5 g of ammonium chloride. Record the exact mass used.
4) Add the ammonium chloride to the water and stir continuously, until the temperature either remains
constant for over a minute or starts to change in the opposite direction. Record the final temperature
reached.
5) Deduce the temperature change, and hence the heat energy change q (100 x 4.18 x ΔT, then convert to
kJ).
6) Deduce the moles (n) of ammonium chloride used (m/53.5).
7) Hence deduce the molar enthalpy change of solution of ammonium chloride (q/n); don’t forget to include
a sign in your answer (-ve if exothermic, +ve if endothermic)

Equipment needed per group: one polystyrene cup, one glass beaker (both 250 cm3), one 100 cm3
measuring cylinder, one weighing boat, one thermometer, one stirring rod, access to distilled water, access
to mass balance, access to NH4Cl (5 g per group)
Note: this reaction is endothermic and the temperature will decrease by 4 – 5 oC
- q = 100 x 4.18 x ΔT
- n = m/53.5
- ΔH = q/n value will be +ve as reaction is endothermic

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 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

Practical 3.2: Determine the molar enthalpy of neutralisation of hydrochloric acid by sodium
hydroxide according to the equation NaOH + HCl → NaCl + H2O
1) Place a clean, dry polystyrene cup inside a glass beaker.
2) Pour 25 cm3 of 1 moldm-3 HCl into the cup using a measuring cylinder. Record the initial temperature of
the solution.
3) Measure out 25 cm3 of 1 moldm-3 NaOH using a measuring cylinder and record the initial temperature of
the solution. Hence deduce the average initial temperature of the solutions.
4) Add the NaOH solution to the HCl solution and stir continuously, until the temperature either remains
constant for over a minute or starts to change in the opposite direction. Record the final temperature
reached.
5) Deduce the temperature change, and hence the heat energy change q (50 x 4.18 x ΔT, then convert to kJ).
6) Deduce the moles (n) of water formed (25/1000) x 1 = 0.025
7) Hence deduce the molar enthalpy change of neutralisation of HCl by NaOH (q/n); don’t forget to include a
sign in your answer (-ve if exothermic, +ve if endothermic)

Equipment needed per group: one polystyrene cup, one glass beaker (both 250 cm3), two measuring cylinders
(25 or 50 cm3), one thermometer, access to 1 moldm-3 HCl (25 cm3 per group), stirring rod, access to 1 moldm-3
NaOH (25 cm3 per group),
Note: this reaction is exothermic and the temperature will increase by 3-4 oC
- q = 50 x 4.18 x ΔT
- n = 0.025
- ΔH = q/n; value will be -ve as reaction is exothermic

Test your knowledge 3.3: Measuring enthalpy changes of solution and neutralisation
(a) When 5.73 g of sodium chloride (NaCl) dissolves in 100 cm3 of water, the temperature of the water fell
from 22.4 oC to 19.8 oC. Calculate the molar enthalpy of solution of NaCl.
(b) When 2.3 g of magnesium chloride (MgCl2) dissolves in 200 cm3 of water, the temperature rose by 3.4 oC.
Calculate the molar enthalpy of solution of MgCl2.
(c) If 50 cm3 of 0.1 moldm-3 HCl and 50 cm3 of 0.1 moldm-3 NaOH are mixed, the temperature of the solution
rises by 0.68 oC. Calculate the molar enthalpy of neutralisation of HCl by NaOH.
(d) If 50 cm3 of 1.0 moldm-3 NaOH is added to 25 cm3 of 2.0 moldm-3 CH3COOH, the temperature rose by 8.3
o
C. Calculate the molar enthalpy of neutralisation of CH3COOH by NaOH.

(a) q = 100 x 4.18 x 2.6 = 1087 J; n = 5.73/58.5 = 0.0980; ΔH = 1087/0.098 = +11.1 kJmol-1
(b) q = 200 x 4.18 x 3.4 = 2842 J; n = 2.3/95.3 = 0.0241; ΔH = 2842/0.0241 = -118 kJmol-1
(c) q = 100 x 4.18 x 0.68 = 284 J; n = 0.05 x 0.1 = 0.005; ΔH = 284/0.005 = -56.8 kJmol-1
(d) q = 75 x 4.18 x 8.3 = 2602 J; n = 1 x 0.05 = 0.05; ΔH = 2602/0.05 = -52.0 kJmol-1

Lesson 4 – How do we measure enthalpies of combustion?

• Combustion reactions do not take place in aqueous solution; energy changes in combustion reactions are
measured by allowing the fuel to burn inside a spirit burner; the spirit burner is placed below a copper can
and the exothermic reaction is used to heat the water; the heat change can be calculated using q = mcΔT (m
= mass of water being heated); the decrease in mass of the spirit burner can be measured and used to
calculate the moles of fuel used

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Practical 4.1: Determine the molar enthalpy of combustion of ethanol

1. Using a measuring cylinder, pour 100 cm3 of water into a copper can.
2. Mount the can on a clamp stand and record the initial temperature of the water.
3. Take a spirit burner containing ethanol, and record its mass with the lid on.
4. Remove the lid, place the spirit burner under the calorimeter and surround it with a windshield to protect
it from wind currents.
5. Light the spirit burner and allow it to heat the copper calorimeter until the temperature of the water has
increased by 30 oC. Record the final temperature of the water and deduce the temperature change.
6. Put out the spirit burner by putting the lid back on.
7. Weigh the spirit burner again and record the loss in mass.
8. Calculate the heat energy change (q) in the reaction (100 x 4.18 x ΔT, then convert to kJ)
9. Use the loss in mass to determine the number of moles of ethanol used (n) (m/46)
10. Hence calculate the molar enthalpy of combustion of ethanol (q/n); don’t forget to include a sign in your
answer (-ve if exothermic, +ve if endothermic)

Equipment needed per group: one copper can (250 cm3), one thermometer, one spirit burner containing
ethanol, one measuring cylinder (100 cm3), one stand, clamp and boss, windshield if available, access to a
mass balance
- q = 100 x 4.18 x 30 = 12540 J (students should use whatever temperature change they actually
recorded during their experiment
- n = m/46
- ΔH = q/n value will be -ve as reaction is exothermic

Test your knowledge 4.2: Measuring enthalpy changes of combustion

(a) A spirit burner containing ethanol (C2H5OH) was used to heat 100 cm3 of water in a copper can by 30 oC.
As a result, the mass of the spirit burner decreased by 0.62 g. Calculate the molar enthalpy of combustion
of ethanol.
(b) A spirit burner containing butan-1-ol (C4H9OH) was used to heat 200 cm3 of water in a copper can by 20
o
C. As a result, the mass of the spirit burner decreased by 0.81 g. Calculate the molar enthalpy of
combustion of butan-1-ol.

(a) q = 100 x 4.18 x 30 = 12540 J; n = 0.62/46 = 0.0135; ΔH = 12540/0.0135 = -930 kJmol-1

(b) q = 200 x 4.18 x 20 = 16720 J; n = 0.81/74 = 0.0109; ΔH = 2842/0.0241 = -1530 kJmol-1

• Measuring and understanding enthalpy changes of combustion is very useful for knowing how much energy
it is possible to get from a certain quantity of fuel when it burns; this quantity is known as the energy
content of a fuel and it is usually measured in kJg-1:
-
wood has an average energy content of 17 kJg-1
-
coal has an average energy content of 31 kJg-1
-
hydrogen has an energy content of 142 kJg-1

• The measurement of the energy content of fuels by burning a fixed quantity of the fuel and measuring the
temperature rise of a fixed amount of water is known as calorimetry

• All living organisms require energy to survive; animals get this energy by eating foods containing
carbohydrates and fats, which are broken down in the body and then react with oxygen in an exothermic
reaction known as respiration; plants get their energy by using photosynthesis to make glucose, which is
then used in respiration

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• The energy content of foods can be measured in the same way as the energy content of other fuels; most
carbohydrates have an energy content of around 17 kJg-1 and most fats have an energy content of around 39
kJg-1; a typical human needs to consume around 10,000 kJ per day; this is equivalent to around 250 g of pure
fat or around 600 g of pure carbohydrate

Lesson 5 – Why are some chemical reactions faster than others?

b) Rates of Reaction

Thinkabout Activity 5.1: Different speeds of chemical reactions

- How many chemical reactions can you think of which are fast?
- How many chemical reactions can you think of which are slow?
- Why are some chemical reactions faster than others? How can we make a reaction faster?

Note: this activity is designed to discover what students know about the rates of chemical reactions
- Fast reactions: explosions, neutralisation reactions etc
- Slow reactions: rusting, decompositions etc
Note: reactions are not “fast” or “slow”; students may be able to rank different reactions in terms of how long
they take to complete
Note: students will have various suggestions, encourage any which mention collisions between particles; it is not
necessary to answer this question immediately if the students do not know the answer
- Reactions can be made faster by increasing the concentration, increasing the temperature or adding a
catalyst (some students may be able to explain why)

(i) Simple Collision Theory

• Substances in the liquid, aqueous and gaseous phase consist of particles in rapid and constant motion, which
are constantly colliding with each other; according to simple collision theory, there are two requirements for
a chemical reaction to take place between two particles:
- the particles must first collide
- the colliding particles must have enough energy to react together

• The number of collisions between particles per unit time in a system is known as the collision frequency; the
greater the collision frequency, the faster a chemical reaction

• Not all collisions, however, result in a chemical reaction; this is because the reacting particles contain
chemical bonds which must be broken before the particles can react; energy is required to break these
bonds, and most of the colliding particles do not have enough energy to do this; most collisions, therefore,
just result in the colliding particles bouncing off each other, with no chemical reaction taking place; collisions
which do not result in a reaction are known as unsuccessful (or ineffective) collisions

• The combined energy of the colliding particles is called the collision energy; if the collision energy is
sufficient to break the bonds in the reacting particles, a reaction will take place; collisions which result in a
chemical reaction are known as successful (or effective) collisions

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 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

• the minimum energy required to break the bonds in the reactants and allow the chemical reaction to take
place is known as the activation energy; the activation energy can be shown in an enthalpy level diagram:
e
n Ea
e
r
g reactants
y

products

reaction pathway

- this enthalpy diagram shows a simple exothermic reaction

- the activation energy Ea is the energy needed to break the bonds in the colliding particles
- he potential energy of the substance increases as the bonds are broken
- once the bonds have been broken, new bonds can be formed and the potential energy will decrease
- in exothermic reactions, more heat energy is released when new bonds are made than is absorbed when the
original bonds are broken; so overall, heat energy is released; the opposite is true in endothermic reactions

• For a collision to be successful, the collision energy needs to be greater than the activation energy; the
higher the activation energy, the smaller the fraction of collisions which will be successful

Test your knowledge 5.2: Explaining why some reactions are faster than others
(a) If you increase the collision frequency in a reaction mixture, what will happen to the rate of reaction?
Why?
(b) If you increase the collision energy of the reacting particles in a mixture, what will happen to the rate of
reaction? Why?
(c) Draw an enthalpy profile diagram for an exothermic reaction, labelling the enthalpy change and the
activation energy
(d) Draw an enthalpy profile diagram for an endothermic reaction, labelling the enthalpy change and the
activation energy
(e) If you increase the activation energy of a reaction, what will happen to the rate of reaction? Why?

(a) Particles will collide with each other more often, so the rate of reaction will increase
(b) Collisions are more likely to be successful (the collision energy is more likely to exceed the activation
energy), so the rate of reaction will increase

(c) (d)
(e) If the activation energy is higher, it is less likely that the collision energy of the colliding particles will be
greater than the activation energy, so the reaction will be slower

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 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

Lesson 6 – How can we make chemical reactions faster (part 1)?

(ii) Factors Affecting Rate of Reaction

• The rate of a chemical reaction can be changed in a number of ways:

- by changing the concentration of the reacting particles
- by changing the pressure of the system (if some of the reacting particles are in the gas phase)
- by changing the temperature of the system
- by adding a catalyst
- by changing the particle size
- by changing the solvent

• The greater the concentration of the species in a liquid or gaseous mixture, the greater the number of
species per unit volume and the greater the frequency with which they will collide (ie the collision frequency
increases); the collision energy and activation energy are unaffected by a change in concentration

Practical 6.1: Investigate the effect of the concentration of sodium thiosulphate (Na2S2O3) on the rate
of its reaction with hydrochloric acid (HCl)
1) Take a piece of paper and use a thick pen to draw the letter X on it.
2) Measure out 20 cm3 of 0.2 moldm-3 HCl into a measuring cylinder labelled “HCl” and then pour the HCl
into a conical flask.
3) Measure out 20 cm3 of 0.2 moldm-3 Na2S2O3 into a measuring cylinder labelled “Na2S2O3”.
4) Pour the Na2S2O3 into the same conical flask, starting the stopwatch immediately.
5) Record the time taken for the X to stop being visible through the conical flask.
6) Repeat steps 2 to 5, but using different concentrations of Na2S2O3 in step 3, prepared as follows:

Concentration of Volume of 0.2 moldm-3 Volume of distilled

-3
Na2S2O3moldm Na2S2O3/cm3 water/cm3
0.15 16 4
0.10 12 8
0.05 8 12
7) Compare the times taken for the X to disappear in the four reactions. How does the rate of reaction
change as you change the concentration of Na2S2O3?

Equipment needed per group: two measuring cylinders (25 cm3) and something to label them with; one
conical flask; one stopwatch, access to 0.2 moldm-3 Na2S2O3, access to 0.2 moldm-3 HCl (100 cm3 of each per
group)
Note: students must use separate measuring cylinders for the two reactants; they change the concentration of
Na2S2O3 by adding smaller volumes of it into the measuring cylinder and adding water to make the total volume
up to 20 cm3
- As the concentration is decreased, it will take longer for the X to disappear, showing that decreasing
the concentration of one of the reactants will decrease the rate of reaction
Cannot do this practical? watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSwd7X_c_Qs

• A change in pressure has exactly the same effect as a change in concentration; the greater the pressure in a
gaseous mixture, the greater the number of species per unit volume and the greater the frequency with
which they will collide (ie the collision frequency increases); the pressure of a system is generally increased
by reducing its volume (compressing it); the collision energy and activation energy are unaffected by a
change in pressure

14
 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

• An increase in temperature increases the rate of a reaction for two reasons:

- as the temperature is increased, the average kinetic energy of the particles increases, and so the
collision energy increases; as the collision energy increases, there is a greater chance that the collision
energy will be sufficient to overcome the activation energy, and the collision is more likely to be
effective
- in addition, at a higher temperature, the molecules have more kinetic energy and are thus moving
faster; thus they collide more often, and the collision frequency increases
- changing the temperature has no effect on the activation energy
- typically, a 10oC temperature rise approximately doubles the rate of reaction.

Practical 6.2: Investigate the effect of temperature on the rate of reaction between sodium
thiosulphate (Na2S2O3) and hydrochloric acid (HCl)
1) Set up three water baths at 30 OC, 40 OC and 50 OC and place stock solutions of 0.2 moldm-3 HCl and 0.2
moldm-3 Na2S2O3 in each water bath until they have reached the desired temperature. Keep a sample of
both solutions at room temperature.
2) Take a piece of paper and use a thick pen to draw the letter X on it
3) Using the room temperature solutions, measure out 20 cm3 of 0.2 moldm-3 HCl into a measuring cylinder
labelled “HCl”, then measure out 20 cm3 of 0.2 moldm-3 Na2S2O3 into a measuring cylinder labelled
“Na2S2O3”
4) Pour both solutions into the same conical flask, starting the stopwatch immediately. Record the initial
temperature of the mixture.
5) Record the time taken for the X to stop being visible through the conical flask.
6) Record the final temperature of the solution using a thermometer.
7) Repeat steps 3 to 5, but using the solutions at 30 OC, then at 40 OC and then at 50 OC.
8) Compare the times taken for the X to disappear in the four reactions. How does the rate of reaction
change as you change the temperature?

Equipment needed per group: two measuring cylinders (25 cm3) and something to label them with; one
conical flask; one stopwatch, access four different bottles of 0.2 moldm-3 Na2S2O3, access to 0.2 moldm-3 HCl,
each at different temperatures (100 cm3 of each per group)
- as the temperature is increased, it will take less time for the X to disappear, showing that increasing
the temperature will increase the rate of reaction
Cannot do this practical? watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9nVcKYVjjA

Lesson 7 – How can we make chemical reactions faster (part 2)?

• A catalyst is a substance which changes the rate of a chemical reaction without itself being chemically
altered at the end of the reaction

15
 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

• Catalysts provide an alternative pathway for the reaction, usually by introducing an extra step into the
reaction, which has a lower activation energy than the uncatalysed reaction; this effect can be illustrated
with an enthalpy level diagram:

e
e
n Ea n
e uncatalysed reaction
e
r (high activation energy)
r
g reactants g
y reactants
y catalysed reaction
(low activation energy)
products products

reaction pathway reaction pathway

- the enthalpy level diagram on the left shows a reaction without a catalyst
- the diagram on the right shows the effect of adding a catalyst
- the reaction pathway changes and the activation energy is lowered

• Catalysts increase the rate of a reaction by lowering the activation energy; the collision frequency and
collision energy are unchanged

Practical 7.1: Investigate the effect of a catalyst on the rate of reaction between potassium
peroxodisulphate (K2S2O8) and potassium iodide (KI)
1) Mix together 25 cm3 of 0.3 moldm-3 KI, 5 cm3 of 0.02 moldm-3 sodium thiosulphate, 1 cm3 of 1% starch
solution and 10 cm3 of distilled water into a conical flask
2) Add 10 cm3 of 0.1 moldm-3 K2S2O8 and immediately start the stopwatch. Note the time taken for the
mixture to turn a dark blue colour.
3) Repeat steps 1 and 2, but this time using 9 cm3 of distilled water and 1 cm3 of iron (III) sulphate solution.
4) Compare the reaction times in both reactions. Why is the second reaction faster?

Equipment needed per group: three measuring cylinders (25 cm3 for KI, 10 cm3 for sodium thiosulphate and
water, 10 cm3 for K2S2O8) and something to label them with; one conical flask; one stopwatch, access to
starch solution with a dropping pipette, access to 0.3 moldm-3 KI (50 cm3 per group), 0.02 moldm-3 Na2S2O3
(10 cm3 per group), 0.1 moldm-3 K2S2O8 (20 cm3 per group), 0.1 moldm-3 Fe2(SO4)3 with a dropping pipette, and
distilled water
- When the iron (III) sulphate is added in the second experiment, it takes much less time for the mixture
to turn dark blue, showing that a catalyst increases the rate of reaction
Cannot do this practical? watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5da9e-rrjxQ

• If reactants are gaseous, or well mixed in liquid or aqueous form, then all of the particles in the sample are
able to react; if one of the reactants is in the solid state, however, its particles are not free to move; only the
particles at the surface of the solid are able to collide with other particles; this reduces the collision
frequency and will reduce the rate of reaction

• Reactants in the solid state react more slowly than reactants in the liquid, gaseous or aqueous states
because in a solid, the particles not at the surface are unable to take part in collisions with other reactants,
reducing the collision frequency

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 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

• The rate of reaction in solids can be increased by reducing the particle size, and hence increasing the surface
area exposed to collisions:

- A: large particle size, fewer of the blue solid particles can collide with the red particles, slower reaction.
- B: small particle size, more of the blue solid particles can collide with the red particles, faster reaction.

Demonstration 7.2: Investigate the effect of particle size on the rate of reaction between calcium
carbonate and hydrochloric acid
1) Pour 40 cm3 of 2 moldm-3 HCl into a conical flask.
2) Weigh out 2.5 g of marble chips (large particle size).
3) Add the marble chips to the conical flask containing the HCl, start the stopwatch and weigh the conical
flask with all its contents.
4) Weigh the conical flask again after 2 minutes and record the loss in mass.
5) Repeat steps 1 – 4 but using 2.5 g of marble chips (small particle size).
6) Why does the mass of the conical flask decrease? In which experiment is there a larger decrease in mass?
Why is this?

Equipment needed: one measuring cylinder (50 cm3 ), one conical flask, stopwatch, two different sizes of
marble chips (2.5 g of each), mass balance
- The mass of the conical flask and contents decreases because a gas (CO2) is escaping
- When the smaller chips are used, there is a greater decrease in mass; this means that more gas is
escaping which means that the reaction is faster; the smaller chips have a larger overall surface area,
which means that the collision frequency between the marble chips and the HCl increases
Cannot do this demonstration? Watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6Kq4YqztQM

• If reactions are taking place in solution, the nature of the solvent can influence the rate of reaction; this is
because different solvents can interact with the reacting particles in different ways, making them more
likely, or less likely, to react with each other
- Eg magnesium reacts rapidly with HCl dissolved in water, but very slowly with HCl dissolved in
methylbenzene

17
 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

Test your knowledge 7.3: Understanding the factors affecting the rate of a reaction
(a) Explain why increasing the concentration of one of the reactants will increase the rate of a reaction
(b) Explain why increasing the pressure of a gas-phase reaction will increase the rate of a reaction
(c) Explain why increasing the temperature will increase the rate of a reaction
(d) Explain why adding a catalyst will increase the rate of a reaction
(e) Explain why solids react more slowly than liquids and gases
(f) Explain why decreasing the particle size of a solid reactant will increase the rate of a reaction
(g) Suggest one other way to change the rate of a reaction

(a) More particles per unit volume so greater collision frequency

(b) More particles per unit volume so greater collision frequency
(c) Particles have more energy so collision energy is higher, a greater fraction of the collisions are
successful
(d) Catalyst lowers activation energy so a greater fraction of the collisions are successful
(e) In solids, only the particles at the surface can collide with other reactants; in liquids and gases, all
particles can collide so the collision frequency is higher
(f) The surface area increases so collision frequency increases

Extension 7.4: Understanding the factors affecting the rate of a reaction

Completed Test Your Knowledge 7.3? Now complete the following table to show the different ways in
which the rate of a reaction can be changed (in each box, write “increases”, “decreases” or “no effect”)

18
 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

Lesson 8 – How can we measure rates of reaction?

(iii) Measuring rates of reaction

• The rate of reaction can be defined as the change in concentration of reactants or products per unit time; it
has the units moldm-3s-1

• It is possible to determine the rate of a reaction by monitoring how the concentration of a reaction changes
over time in a single reaction, and then plotting a graph of concentration against time (a concentration-time
graph):

• The rate of reaction is the change in concentration per unit time and can therefore be calculated from the
gradient of the line at a particular time

• As the graph is a curve (its gradient is steadily decreasing with time), the gradient of the line at a particular
point must be calculated by drawing a tangent to that line at a particular point and calculating the gradient
of that tangent:

• The gradient of the line (and hence the rate of reaction) decreases with time; this is because as reactions
proceed, the concentration of reactants decreases, making collisions between the remaining particles less
frequent

• The initial rate of reaction is the gradient of the tangent to the curve at t = 0; the rate of reaction at a
particular time is the gradient of the tangent to the curve at that time

19
 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

Test your knowledge 8.1: Measuring the rate of a reaction from a concentration-time graph
Hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, decomposes according to the equation: 2H2O2(g) → 2H2O(g) + O2(g)
In an experiment, the concentration of the reactant H2O2 was measured over a period of time. The results are
shown below:
Time/s 0 15 30 60 100 180
-3
[H2O2]/moldm 0.40 0.28 0.19 0.07 0.03 0.01
Plot a graph to show how concentration varies with time and use your graph to calculate the rate of reaction:
a) Initially
b) When [H2O2]= 0.20 moldm-3
c) After 50 s

0.6
[H2O2]/moldm-3

0.4
0.2
0
0 50 100 150 200
Time/s

Note: students should draw a full A4 graph in order to calculate the gradients of tangents accurately
a) (0.40-0.20)/20 = 0.010 moldm-3s-1
b) (0.288-0.114)/30 = 0.0058 moldm-3s-1
c) (0.134-0.036)/30 = 0.0033 moldm-3s-1

20
 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

Practical 8.2: Measure the rate of the reaction between magnesium and hydrochloric acid (HCl) from a
concentration-time graph
1. Clamp a gas syringe into a horizontal position so that the bung attached to it can be easily attached to a
conical flask.
2. Pour 25 cm3 of 0.2 moldm-3 HCl into a 100 cm3 conical flask.
3. Weigh out 1 g of magnesium on a weighing boat.
4. Add the magnesium to the conical flask, attaching the bung and starting the stopclock immediately.
5. Record the volume of gas produced every 10 seconds until the reaction stops or the volume of gas
reaches 100 cm3. Record your data in the table below:
Time/s Volume of H2 produced (Vt) /cm3 (Vf – Vt)/cm3
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Final
(Vf – Vt) gives you a value proportional to [HCl]
6. Plot a graph of (Vf – Vt) (on the y-axis) against time (on the x-axis)
7. Use your graph to determine the initial rate of reaction.

Equipment needed per group: gas syringe (100 cm3) attached to delivery tube through a bung; stand, clamp and
boss; conical flask which fits the bung attached to the gas syringe; measuring cylinder (25 cm 3); weighing boat;
access to a mass balance; access to 0.2 moldm-3 HCl (25 cm3 per group); access to Mg (1 g per group)
- The final value of (Vf – Vt) will be equal to 0
- The first value of (Vf – Vt) will be the largest; the values will then decrease steadily
- The initial rate of reaction is determined by drawing a tangent to the line at t = 0 and calculating its
gradient; the units of rate will be in cm3s-1 as the experiment measures volume not concentration

Lesson 9 – What is chemical equilibrium?

c) Reversible Reactions and Chemical Equilibrium

(i) Dynamic Equilibrium

• A reversible reaction is a reaction which can proceed in both directions at the same time; reversible
reactions are represented by the sign instead of by a regular arrow →

• All reactions are reversible in theory; although in practice many reactions are considered irreversible, either
because the reverse reaction is insignificant or because the reverse reaction is not allowed to take place
because the products escape after they are produced

• Consider a reversible reaction A + B C+D

21
 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

- as the reaction proceeds, the rate of the forward reaction decreases and the rate of the reverse reaction
increases
- eventually, the reaction will reach a stage where both forward and backward reactions are proceeding at
the same rate:
Variation of rates of forward and reverse reactions with
time

Forw ard reaction

rate of reaction
Reverse reaction

tim e

- at this stage, a dynamic equilibrium has been reached; “dynamic” means that the reaction has not
stopped; it is simply moving in both directions at the same rate; “equilibrium” means that the amount of
reactants and products in the system is not changing

• A dynamic equilibrium is reached when the forward and reverse reactions are taking place at the same
rate, which means that the concentrations or reactants and products are not changing.

(ii) open and closed systems

• A closed system is one from which reactants and products cannot escape; in closed systems the forward and
reverse reactions continue until dynamic equilibrium is reached; all reactions in a closed system are thus
reversible in theory, although they are only considered as such if both forward and reverse reactions occur
to a significant extent
- Eg H+(aq) + OH-(aq) → H2O(l); in this case the reverse reaction is not significant so the reaction is
represented by single arrow
- Eg H2(g) + I2(g) 2HI(g); in this case the reverse reaction is significant, so the reaction is
represented by an equilibrium sign

• An open system is one from which reactants and products can escape such as the open air or a fume
cupboard; in an open system, products can be removed as soon as they are formed, so the reverse reaction
is not allowed to take place; such reactions never reach equilibrium, but proceed until all the reactions have
been converted into products, even if the reaction would be reversible in a closed system
- Eg H2O(l) → H2O(g); this reaction would not be expected to proceed significantly under normal
conditions, since water is more stable than steam at room temperature; however puddles will disappear
completely if left for long enough; this is because the water vapour is removed by wind currents as soon
as it is produced, and so the reverse reaction is not allowed to take place; thus the system never reaches
equilibrium and the reaction is irreversible

22
 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

(iii) Equilibrium Position and Equilibrium Constants

• In a closed system, all reactions will reach equilibrium eventually; in some cases, the equilibrium mixture
mostly consists of products, with only a small number of reactant particles still remaining
- consider the following reversible reaction: 2SO2 + O2 2SO3; the equilibrium mixture formed when
this reaction reaches equilibrium contains mostly SO3, with not much SO2 or O2; in such cases, it is said
that the position of equilibrium lies to the right-hand side of the reaction
- Consider the following reversible reaction: CH3COOH CH3COO- + H+; the equilibrium mixture
formed when this reaction reaches equilibrium contains mostly CH3COOH, with not much CH3COO- or H+;
in such cases, it is said that the position of equilibrium lies to the left-hand side of the reaction

• The position of equilibrium can be expressed mathematically using the concentrations of reactants and
products; it has been proved that product of the product concentrations raised to their stoichiometric
coefficients divided by the product of the reactant concentrations raised to their stoichiometric coefficients
is always a fixed value, at a given temperature; this value is known as the equilibrium constant (Kc) of the
reaction at that temperature
[C][D]2
- consider the reversible reaction: A + 3B C + 2D; the Kc for this reaction is [A][B]3
- the square brackets [] are used to represent the concentration of that reactant, so [A] means the
concentration of A in moldm-3
- the value of Kc for a reaction is always the same at a particular temperature, no matter what amounts of
reactants and products are present at the start of the reaction

Test your knowledge 9.1: Understanding Dynamic Equilibrium and Equilibrium Constants
(a) Why does the rate of the forward reaction decrease as the reaction proceeds?
(b) Why does the rate of the reverse reaction increase as the reaction proceeds?
(c) What will eventually happen to the rate of the forward and reverse reactions?
(d) Why will this often not happen in an open system?
(e) Write expressions for the equilibrium constants for the following reactions:
(i) 2NO2(g) N2O4(g)
(ii) H2(g) + I2(g) 2HI(g)
(iii) 2SO2(g) + O2(g) 2SO3(g)
(iv) N2(g) + 3H2(g) 2NH3(g)
(f) For the equilibrium PCl5(g) PCl3(g) + Cl2(g), the equilibrium concentrations of PCl5, PCl3 and Cl2 are
1.0, 0.205 and 0.205 moldm-3 respectively. Calculate the value of Kc
(g) For the equilibrium 2N2O5(g) 2N2O4(g) + O2(g), the equilibrium concentrations are [N2O5] = 1.0
moldm , [N2O4] = 0.11 moldm , [O2] = 0.11 moldm-3. Calculate the value of Kc
-3 -3

(a) Reactant concentration decreases so collision frequency decreases

(b) Product concentration increases so collision frequency increases
(c) Eventually the rates of the forward and reverse reactions will equalise – dynamic equilibrium will be
reached
(d) One or more of the products might escape
[𝑁 𝑂 ]
2 4 [𝐻𝐼]2 [𝑆𝑂3 ]2 [𝑁𝐻3 ]2
(e) (i) [𝑁𝑂 ]2
; (ii) [𝐻 ; (iii) [𝑆𝑂 2 ; (iv) [𝐻 3
2 2 ][𝐼2 ] 2 ] [𝑂2 ] 2 ] [𝑁2 ]
(f) 0.0420 moldm-3
(g) 0.00133 moldm-3

23
 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

Lesson 10 – How can we change the position of equilibrium?

(iv) Le Chatelier’s Principle

• If the conditions are changed after equilibrium has been established, the system may no longer be at
equilbrium and may move in one direction or another to re-establish equilibrium; the direction in which the
system will move to re-establish equilibrium can be predicted by Le Chatelier's principle: "If a constraint is
imposed on a system at equilibrium, then the system will respond in such a way as to oppose the effect of
that constraint"; the constraints imposed could be the addition or removal of one of the reactants or
products, a change in pressure, a change in temperature or the addition or removal of a catalyst; it is
possible to use Le Chatelier’s principle to predict what will happen if any of these conditions are changed

• If the concentration of one of the reactants is increased, the equilibrium position will move to the right in
order to decrease the concentration of that reactant; if the reactant's concentration is decreased, the
equilibrium position will move to the left in order to replace that reactant; similarly, if a product's
concentration is increased then the equilibrium position will move to the left and if a product's
concentration is decreased then the equilibrium position will move to the right (the equilibrium constant will
not change)
- Eg in the reaction 2SO2 + O2 == 2SO3, an increase in the concentration of SO2 or O2, or a decrease in the
concentration of SO3, will move the equilibrium position to the right; a decrease in the concentration of
SO2 or O2, or an increase in the concentration of SO3, will move the equilibrium position to the right

• The pressure in a system depends on the number of gas molecules in the system; if the pressure of the
system is increased, the system will move towards the side which has fewer gas molecules in order to
decrease the pressure
- if the pressure of the system is decreased, the system will move towards the side which has more gas
molecules in order to increase the pressure
- if the number of gas moles on both sides in the same, then pressure has no effect on the equilibrium
position (the equilibrium constant will not change)
- Eg in the reaction PCl5(g) PCl3(g) + Cl2(g), there is one gas molecule on the left and two on the
right; if the pressure is increased, the equilibrium position will move to the left, where there are fewer
gas molecules, in order to decrease the pressure; if the pressure is decreased, the equilibrium position
will move to the right, where there are more gas molecules, in order to increase the pressure

24
 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

• If the temperature of a system is increased, the reaction will move in the endothermic direction in order to
decrease the temperature; if the temperature of a system is decreased, the reaction will move in the
exothermic direction to increase the temperature
- if the forward reaction is exothermic, an increase in temperature will cause the equilibrium position to
shift to the left, (ie the endothermic direction) to decrease the temperature, and a decrease in
temperature will cause the equilibrium position to shift to the right (ie the exothermic direction) to
increase the temperature
- if the forward reaction is endothermic, an increase in temperature will cause the equilibrium position to
shift to the right (ie the endothermic direction) to decrease the temperature and a decrease in
temperature will cause the equilibrium position to shift to the left (ie the exothermic direction) to
increase the temperature
- If H = 0, then a change in temperature will have no effect on the position of equilibrium
- Eg the reaction 2SO2(g) + O2(g) 2SO3(g) is known to be exothermic (in the forward direction); an
increase in temperature will cause the equilibrium position to move to the left (in the endothermic
direction) to reduce the temperature; an decrease in temperature will cause the equilibrium position to
move to the right (in the exothermic direction) to increase the temperature
- A change in temperature does change the value of the equilibrium constant; if the reaction is
exothermic, then an increase in temperature will cause the value of Kc to decrease; if the reaction is
endothermic, then an increase in temperature will cause the value of Kc to increase

• The addition or removal of a catalyst will have no effect on the position of equilibrium; it will change the rate
of the forward and reverse reactions, but by the same amount; the position of equilibrium and the
equilibrium constant will thus be unchanged

Test your knowledge 10.1: Predicting how the position of equilibrium will move
(a) Consider the following exothermic reaction: 4HCl(g) + O2(g) 2Cl2(g) + 2H2O(g)
State, with a reason, what would happen to the amounts of chlorine and hydrogen chloride in the system
if the following changes were made after equilibrium had been established in a sealed container:
(i) water is removed from the system
(ii) extra oxygen is added to the system
(iii) the volume of the container was reduced
(iv) the temperature of the container was increased
(v) a catalyst was added
(b) For each of the following reactions, state and explain whether a high or low temperature and a high or
low pressure should be used to maximize the yield of product:
(i) 2SO2(g) + O2(g) 2SO3(g), ∆H = -ve
(ii) PCl5(g) PCl3(g) + Cl2(g), ∆H = +ve
(iii) H2(g) + I2(g) 2HI(g), ∆H = -ve
(iv) HCOOH(l) + CH3OH(l) HCOOCH3(l) + H2O(l), ∆H = 0

25
 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

(a) Equilibrium position would:

(i) move to the right to replace water, resulting in more Cl2 and less HCl
(ii) move to the right to remove oxygen, resulting in more Cl2 and less HCl
(iii) move to the right to decrease pressure, resulting in more Cl2 and less HCl
(iv) move to the left to decrease temperature, resulting in less Cl2 and more HCl
(v) not change as the rates of both forward and reverse reactions would be increased equally
(b) (i) high pressure as fewer gas molecules on RHS, low temperature as forward reaction exothermic; (ii)
low pressure as more molecules on RHS, high temperature as forward reaction endothermic; (iii) pressure
will make no difference as equal number of gas molecules on both sides; low temperature as forward
reaction exothermic

Lesson 11 – What have you understood about Physical Chemistry?

11.1 END-OF-TOPIC QUIZ

TOPIC 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

1. The enthalpy of combustion of ethane (C2H6) is -1556 kJmol-1. How much heat energy is released when
1000 g of ethane is burned?

2. When 2.0 g CaCl2 is dissolved in 50 cm3 of water, the temperature increases by 6.9 oC. Calculate the
enthalpy of solution of CaCl2.

3. Consider the following reaction: CaCO3(s) + 2HCl(aq) → CaCl2(aq) + CO2 + H2O(l)

Explain why the rate of this reaction would increase if you:
(a) Increased the molarity of the HCl
(b) Increased the temperature of the HCl
(c) Crushed the CaCO3 before the reaction

4. In an experiment to measure the initial rate of the following reaction: SO2Cl2(g) → SO2(g) + Cl2(g), the
concentration of the reactant SO2Cl2 was measured over a period of time. The results are shown below:
Time/s 0 500 1000 2000 3000 4000
-3
[SO2Cl2]/moldm 0.50 0.43 0.37 0.27 0.20 0.15
Plot a concentration-time graph for this reaction and use it to determine the initial rate of reaction.

5. Explain what is meant by the term “dynamic equilibrium”.

6. For the reaction: 2SO + O2(g) 2SO3(g), ΔH = -294 kJmol-1

(a) Write an expression for the equilibrium constant Kc
(b) Explain how the position of equilibrium would move if some SO3 was removed from the system after
equilibrium had been reached
(c) Explain how the position of equilibrium would move if the temperature was increased after
equilibrium had been reached
(d) Explain whether a high or low pressure would give you the best yield of SO3.

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 UNIT 4 – INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

1. 1000/30 = 33.3 moles, so q = 1556 x 33.3 = 51,900 kJ

2. q = 50 x 4.18 x 6.9 = 1440 J; n = 2/111.1 = 0.0180; ΔH = 1440/0.0180 = 80, 100 Jmol -1 = 80.1 kJmol-1; T
increases so ΔH = -80.1 kJmol-1
3. (a) More HCl particles per unit volume so frequency of collisions increases
(b) HCl particles have more energy so collision energy increases and collisions are more likely to be
successful
(c) Surface area of CaCO3 increases so collision frequency increases
4.
1

[SO2Cl2]/mold
0.5

m-3
0
0 2000 4000 6000
Time/s

gradient of tangent at t = 0 = (0.50-0.3475)/1000 = 1.5 x 10-4 moldm-3s-1

5. Rate of forward reaction = rate of reverse reaction so amounts of reactants and products are not changing
[𝑆𝑂3 ]2
6. (a) Kc = [𝑆𝑂 2
2 ] [𝑂2 ]
(b) To the right, to replace the lost SO3
(c) To the left, in the endothermic direction, to reduce the temperature
(d) A high pressure, as there are fewer gas moles on the right, so high pressure will cause the position of
equilibrium will move to the right to reduce the pressure

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