Balanced Equation for the Reverse Reaction of N2, 3H2, 2NH3

The given chemical reaction is:

[ text{N}_2(g) 3text{H}_2(g) leftrightarrow 2text{NH}_3(g) ]

This equation represents the synthesis of ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen gases. The reverse reaction, which is the decomposition of ammonia into nitrogen and hydrogen gases, can be written as:

[ 2text{NH}_3(g) leftrightarrow text{N}_2(g) 3text{H}_2(g) ]

Understanding the Reverse Reaction

When we consider the reverse reaction, the products of the original reaction become the reactants. The reverse reaction is:

[ 2text{NH}_3(g) leftrightarrow text{N}_2(g) 3text{H}_2(g) ]

In this context, ammonia (NH3) breaks down into nitrogen (N2) and hydrogen (H2) gases. The coefficients of the reactants and products in the balanced equation remain the same, but their roles are switched.

Verification of the Balanced Equation

To determine if the equation is balanced, we need to ensure that the number of atoms of each element on the left-hand side (LHS) equals the number of atoms on the right-hand side (RHS).

LHS: 1 molecule of N? contains 2 nitrogen atoms, and 3 molecules of H? contain 6 hydrogen atoms. Therefore, the total number of atoms is:

2 nitrogen atoms (N2) 6 hydrogen atoms (3H2)

RHS: 2 molecules of NH3 contain a total of 2 nitrogen atoms and 6 hydrogen atoms (6 atoms per NH3). Therefore, the total number of atoms is:

2 nitrogen atoms (2NH3) 6 hydrogen atoms (2 x 3H3)

Thus, the number of nitrogen and hydrogen atoms is equal on both sides, confirming that the equation is balanced.

The balanced equation remains:

[ 2text{NH}_3(g) leftrightarrow text{N}_2(g) 3text{H}_2(g) ]

Conclusion

Understanding and applying the concept of the reverse reaction is crucial in chemical kinetics and equilibrium studies. The balance of the equation ensures that the reaction is both accurate and consistent at the molecular level.

Keywords

balanced equation, chemical reaction, reverse reaction, N?, NH?