Chapter 13, Problem 41E

Water gas is a 1:1 mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas and is called water gas because it is formed from steam and hot carbon in the following reaction: ${\text{H}}_2\text{O}\left(g\right)+\text{C}\left(s\right)\rightleftharpoons {\text{H}}_2\left(g\right)+\text{CO}\left(g\right)$. Methanol, a liquid fuel that could possibly replace gasoline, can be prepared from water gas and hydrogen at high temperature and pressure in the presence of a suitable catalyst.

(a) Write the expression for the equilibrium constant (K_c) for the reversible reaction

$2{\text{H}}_2\left(g\right)+\text{CO}\left(g\right)\rightleftharpoons {\text{CH}}_3\text{OH}\left(g\right)$ $\Delta H=-90.2\text{kJ}$

(b) What will happen to the concentrations of H₂, CO, and CH₃OH at equilibrium if more H₂ is added?

(c) What will happen to the concentrations of H₂, CO, and CH₃OH at equilibrium if CO is removed?

(d) What will happen to the concentrations of H₂, CO, and CH₃OH at equilibrium if CH₃OH is added?

(e) What will happen to the concentrations of H₂, CO, and CH₃OH at equilibrium if the temperature of the system is increased?

(f) What will happen to the concentrations of H₂, CO, and CH₃OH at equilibrium if more catalyst is added?