Question detail
A laboratory experiment shows that a reaction mixture in a sealed flask reaches a steady state where the concentrations of reactants and products no longer change. What does this indicate about the system and the reaction?
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
Question
Type
exam_style
Style
Topic
Reversible reactions and dynamic equilibrium
Question
A laboratory experiment shows that a reaction mixture in a sealed flask reaches a steady state where the concentrations of reactants and products no longer change. What does this indicate about the system and the reaction?
Answer
It indicates that the sealed flask is a closed system and that the reaction has reached dynamicequilibrium. The steady state means the forward and reverse reaction rates are equal, so the concentrations of reactants and products remain constant over time.
Explanation
The question asks the student to interpret experimental evidence (steady concentrations) and link it to the concepts of a closed system and dynamicequilibrium. It tests application of knowledge to a real‑world scenario and the ability to explain the underlyingreason for the observed steady state.
Common mistake
Closed vs Open System Confusion
Students often think that a closed system can exchange matter with its surroundings, so they believe equilibrium can be achieved in an open system as well.
Clarify that a closed system cannot exchange matter (only energy) with its surroundings; only in a closed system can a reversible reaction reach dynamic equilibrium because the amounts of reactants and products remain fixed. In an open system, continuous addition or removal of substances prevents the system from stabilising at constant concentrations, so true equilibrium cannot be achieved.
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