Steam reforming of methane ( CH4 ) produces \"synthesis gas,\" a mixture of carb

Question

Steam reforming of methane ( CH4 ) produces "synthesis gas," a mixture of carbon monoxide gas and hydrogen gas, which is the starting point for many important industrial chemical syntheses. An industrial chemist studying this reaction fills a 50.0 L tank with 4.6 mol of methane gas and 9.0 mol of water vapor at 43. °C. He then raises the temperature, and when the mixture has come to equilibrium measures the amount of hydrogen gas to be 1.4 mo Calculate the concentration equilibrium constant for the steam reforming of methane at the final temperature of the mixture. Round your answer to 2 significant digits. x10

Explanation / Answer

Concentration of CH4 = moles/Volume

= 4.6/50 = 0.092 M

Concentration of H2O = moles/Volume

= 9/50 = 0.18 M

The balanced reaction with ICE TABLE

CH4 + H2O = CO + 3H2

I 0.092 0.18   

C - x - x +x +3x

E 0.092-x 0.18-x x 3x

After equilibrium

3x mol/L x 50 L = 1.4 mol

x = [CO] = 0.00933 M

[H2] = 0.028 M

[H2O] = 0.18 - 0.00933 = 0.17067 M

[CH4] = 0.092 - 0.00933 = 0.08267 M

Equilibrium constant expression of the reaction

K = [H2]3[CO] /[CH4] [H2O]

= (0.028)3(0.00933)/(0.08267)(0.17067)

= 1.45 x 10^-5

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