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Equilibrium appeared 35 times across 3 years — 4.1% of Chemistry. This question is from Le Chatelier's Principle.

Year 2026 2025 2024 Total
Questions 10 17 8 35

Consider the equilibrium CO(g) + 3H₂(g) leftharpoons CH₄(g) + H₂O(g) If the pressure applied over the system increases by two fold at constant temperature then: (A) Concentration of reactants and products increases. (B) Equilibrium will shift in forward direction. (C) Equilibrium constant increases since concentration of products increases. (D) Equilibrium constant remains unchanged as concentration of reactants and products remain same. Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Solution & Explanation

Core Logic

Statement (A) is correct: Increasing pressure by compressing the volume increases active mass/concentration (c = n/V) for both reactants and products instantly. Statement (B) is correct: The reaction has Delta ng = 2 - 4 = -2. Increasing pressure shifts equilibrium towards the direction of fewer gaseous moles, which is the forward path. Statement (C) is incorrect: Equilibrium constant (K) is exclusively temperature-dependent and does not alter with pressure changes. Statement (D) is correct: Confirms that equilibrium constant remains unchanged.

Pattern Recognition

Always remember: pressure changes shift positions but NEVER alter the value of the equilibrium constant Kc or Kₚ. Only temperature changes can change K.

Chapter Mix

Class 11 Chemistry: Equilibrium

Reference Study Guides

More Equilibrium Previous-Year Questions — Page 6

Q30 jee_main_2025_28_jan_evening Solubility Product
Arrange the following in increasing order of solubility product: Ca(OH)₂, AgBr, PbS, HgS
  • A. PbS < HgS < Ca(OH)₂ < AgBr
  • B. HgS < PbS < AgBr < Ca(OH)₂
  • C. Ca(OH)₂ < AgBr < HgS < PbS
  • D. HgS < AgBr < PbS < Ca(OH)₂

Solution

Related Formula

The solubility product constant (Kₛₚ) reflects the equilibrium position of a sparingly soluble salt in water.

Core Logic

Based on standard literature Kₛₚ values at 298 K:

  • HgS: ≈ 4 × 10⁻⁵³ (extremely insoluble, Group IIB cation analysis)
  • PbS: ≈ 8 × 10⁻²⁸ (highly insoluble, Group IIA cation analysis)
  • AgBr: ≈ 5 × 10⁻¹³ (sparingly soluble halide salt)
  • Ca(OH)₂: ≈ 5.5 × 10⁻⁶ (moderately soluble base)
Step 1: Arrangement

Comparing these Kₛₚ orders:

4 × 10⁻⁵³ < 8 × 10⁻²⁸ < 5 × 10⁻¹³ < 5.5 × 10⁻⁶

Hence, the correct increasing sequence is: HgS < PbS < AgBr < Ca(OH)₂.

Pattern Recognition

Sulphides of heavy transition metals like Hg²⁺ and Pb²⁺ have exceptionally small Kₛₚ values compared to halides or hydroxides. Among sulphides, HgS is famously known to have one of the lowest solubility products found in inorganic qualitative analysis.

Chapter Mix

Class 11 Chemistry: Equilibrium

Q jee_main_2025_29_jan_morning Degree of Dissociation and Equilibrium Constant
At temperature T, compound AB2(g) dissociates as: AB2(g) leftharpoons AB(g) + (1)/(2)B2(g) having a degree of dissociation x (x ll 1). The correct expression for x in terms of Kₚ and total pressure p is: x = ((2Kₚ²)/(p))1/3
  • A. [3] 2Kₚp
  • B. [4] 2Kₚp
  • C. [3] 2Kₚ²p
  • D. Kₚ

Solution

Related Formula
Kₚ = pAB · pB₂1/2pAB₂
Core Logic

Consider the equilibrium reaction setup:

StateAB2(g)leftharpoonsAB(g)+(1)/(2)B2(g)
Initial moles:100
Equilibrium moles:1 - xx(x)/(2)

Total equilibrium moles:

ntotal = 1 - x + x + (x)/(2) = 1 + (x)/(2)

Since x ll 1, total moles ntotal ≈ 1 and (1 - x) ≈ 1.

Partial pressures:

pAB₂ ≈ p pAB ≈ x p pB₂ ≈ (x)/(2) p

Substituting into Kₚ:

Kₚ = (x p) · ((x p)/(2))1/2p = x · ((x p)/(2))1/2 = x3/2 p1/2√(2)

Squaring both sides and solving for x:

Kₚ² = (x³ p)/(2) x³ = (2Kₚ²)/(p) x = 3√((2Kₚ²)/(p))
Pattern Recognition

For Δ ng = 0.5 involving degree of dissociation x ll 1, tracking total pressure approximations ensures an immediate analytical solution without full polynomial expansion.

Chapter Mix

Class 11 Chemistry: Chemical Equilibrium

Q90 jee_main_2024_01_february_morning Hydrolysis of Salts
Kₐ for CH₃COOH is 1.8 × 10⁻⁵ and Kb for NH₄OH is 1.8 × 10⁻⁵. The pH of ammonium acetate solution will be
Numerical Answer. Answer: 7 to 7

Solution

Related Formula

For a salt of weak acid and weak base (like ammonium acetate):

pH = (1)/(2) (pKw + pKₐ - pKb)
Core Logic

Ammonium acetate (CH₃COONH₄) is a salt formed from a weak acid (CH₃COOH) and a weak base (NH₄OH). Given: Kₐ = 1.8 × 10⁻⁵ Kb = 1.8 × 10⁻⁵

Since Kₐ = Kb, taking the negative logarithm gives pKₐ = pKb.

Step 1: Calculate pH
pH = pKw + pKₐ - pKb2

Substitute pKₐ = pKb:

pH = pKw2

At standard temperature (298 K), pKw = 14.

pH = (14)/(2) = 7
Pattern Recognition

If Kₐ = Kb for a weak acid-weak base salt, the hydrolysis of cation and anion perfectly balance out, making the resulting solution exactly neutral (pH = 7) regardless of the concentration of the salt.

Chapter Mix

Class 11 Chemistry: Equilibrium

Q jee_main_2024_29_january_evening Equilibrium Constant Calculation
The following concentrations were observed at 500 K for the formation of NH₃ from N₂ and H₂. At equilibrium: [N₂] = 2 × 10⁻² M, [H₂] = 3 × 10⁻² M, and [NH₃] = 1.5 × 10⁻² M. Equilibrium constant for the reaction is ________.
Numerical Answer. Answer: 417 to 417

Solution

Related Formula
N₂(g) + 3H₂(g) leftharpoons 2NH₃(g) Kc = [NH₃]²[N₂][H₂]³
Core Logic

Substituting the given equilibrium concentrations into the equilibrium constant expression:

Kc = (1.5 × 10⁻²)²(2 × 10⁻²) × (3 × 10⁻²)³

Evaluating the values step-by-step:

Kc = 2.25 × 10⁻⁴(2 × 10⁻²) × (27 × 10⁻⁶)
Step 1: Final Arithmetic Integration
Kc = 2.25 × 10⁻⁴54 × 10⁻⁸ = (2.25)/(54) × 10⁴ = 0.041666 × 10⁴ ≈ 416.67

Rounding to the nearest integer yields 417.

Pattern Recognition

Pay close attention to the cubic exponent in the denominator derived from the hydrogen stoichiometric coefficient (3). Small calculation errors here can significantly alter the result.

Chapter Mix

Class 11 Chemistry: Chemical Equilibrium

Q76 jee_main_2024_27_jan_morning Salt Hydrolysis
Given below are two statements: Statement (I): Aqueous solution of ammonium carbonate is basic. Statement (II): Acidic/basic nature of salt solution of a salt of weak acid and weak base depends on Kₐ and Kb value of acid and the base forming it. In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below :
  • A. Both Statement I and Statement II are correct
  • B. Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
  • C. Both Statement I and Statement II are incorrect
  • D. Statement I is incorrect but Statement II is correct

Solution

Related Formula

pH of a weak acid-weak base salt system:

pH = 7 + (1)/(2)(pKₐ - pKb)
Core Logic

Ammonium carbonate, (NH₄)₂CO₃, is formed from a weak acid (H₂CO₃, Kₐ ≈ 4.3 × 10⁻⁷) and weak base (NH₄OH, Kb ≈ 1.8 × 10⁻⁵). Since Kb > Kₐ, the aqueous medium accumulates an excess of hydroxyl particles over hydronium, forming a basic system (pH > 7). Both statements are structurally accurate descriptions.

Chapter Mix

Class 11 Chemistry: Equilibrium

More Equilibrium Questions — jee_main_2025_29_jan_evening

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