Question

2A) [6 pts] Explain how the equilibrium constant relates to the available reactant and product energy levels in the energy diagram on the right. Products Reactants

Answer 1

Solution

We know that that boltzmann distribution give information about distrubution of molecole in different energy level or give informationabout population distrubution  but  it does not identify wheather the given distribution of molecule is product or reactant .

but at equilibrium we can identify it is reactant or product,

we know that

at equilibrium

∆G^o =∆H^o-T∆S^o

WE KNOW THAT at equilibrium

∆G^o = -RTlnK

rearrange

K= e^-(∆Go/RT) = e^{-1/RT)(∆Ho-T∆So)}=e^-∆Ho/RT e^∆So/R

so from this equilbrium constant expression

we identify the position of reactant and product

means that the chemical species which have more energy level close have more entropy , so that species is dominant in the equilibrium and give that which species dominant. From above the product energy level are more close so from equilibrium expression we say that product is more dominant. Hence from energy level we relate equilibrium by entropy of level.