Question

With increase in temperature, equilibrium constant of a reaction:

• A. may increase or decrease depending on whether the reaction in exothermic or endothermic.
• B. may increase or decrease depending on $n_p>n_r$ or $n_p<n_r$
• C. always decreases
• D. always increases

Answer 1

The correct option is A

may increase or decrease depending on whether the reaction in exothermic or endothermic.

Depending on whether $\Delta H^{\circ }$ is positive or negative, increasing temperature can increase or decrease the equilbrium constant K. The exact value of the new equilibrium constant $K_2$ at the increased temperature $T_2$ can be found by this equation:

$\ln \frac{K_2}{K_1}=\frac{-\Delta H^{\circ }}{R}(\frac{1}{T_2}-\frac{1}{T_1})$