Question

A sample of carbon is placed in a rigid 1.50 L flask. Dinitrogen monoxide is added and the flask heated to 800C. When the system reached equilibrium the partial pressure of the carbon dioxide is found to be 0.030 atm and the partial pressure of the dinitrogen monoxide to be 1.48 atm. What is the partial pressure of nitrogen in the mixture.

Answer 1

The partial pressure of nitrogen is 0.060 atm.

First, write the balanced chemical equation for the equilibrium.

C(s) +2N₂O(g) ⇌ CO₂(g) + 2N₂(g)

There was no CO₂ or N₂ present at the beginning.

The reaction produced CO₂ to a pressure of 0.030 atm. It also produced twice as much N₂ as CO₂.

`P_("N₂") = 2P_("CO₂")` = 2 × 0.030 atm = 0.060 atm