Problem PageQuestion Sulfur dioxide and oxygen react to form sulfur trioxide during one of the key steps in sulfuric acid synthesis. An industrial chemist studying this reaction fills a 500. mL flask with 1.3 atm of sulfur dioxide gas and 4.1 atm of oxygen gas, and when the mixture has come to equilibrium measures the partial pressure of sulfur trioxide gas to be 0.91 atm. Calculate the pressure equilibrium constant for the reaction of sulfur dioxide and oxygen at the final temperature of the mixture. Round your answer to 2 significant digits.

SO₂: 0.39atm

O₂: 3.645atm

Explanation:

Based on the reaction:

2 SO₂(g) + O₂(g) → 2 SO₃(g)

2 moles of sulfur dioxide react per mole of oxygen to produce 2 moles of sulfur trioxide.

When the reaction occurs an comes to equilbrium, the partial pressure of each gas is:

SO₂: 1.3atm - 2X

O₂: 4.1atm -X

SO₃: 2X

Where X is the reaction coordinate.

As pressure at equilibrium of SO₃ is 0.91 atm:

0.91atm = 2X

Thus: X = 0.455atm.

Replacing, pressures at equilibrium of the gases are:

SO₂: 1.3atm - 2×0.455atm = 0.39 atm

O₂: 4.1atm -0.455atm = 3.645 atm

a mercury barometer is a device that uses the physical properties of mercury in a tube to measure barometric pressure. mercury barometers are used for : -

1. measurement of atmospheric pressure  

2. determining the altitude of a place

3. weather forecasting

4. calibration and checking of aneroid barometers

5. application in fluid mechanics

6. measurement of pressure in aircrafts

7. surface weather analysis

8. preparation of barographs

9. usage in physical sciences like physics, astronomy & chemistry

10. preparation of aircraft altimeters

characteristics of mercury barometer : -

1.used to define and measure atmospheric pressure.

2.on the average at sea level the column of mercury rises to a height of about 760 mm.

3.this quantity is equal to 1 atmosphere.

4.it is also known as standard atmospheric pressure.

5.a barometer in which the weight of a column of mercury in a glass tube with a sealed top is balanced against that of the atmosphere pressing on an exposed cistern of mercury at the base of the mercury column, the height of the column varying with atmospheric pressure.