Key learning points

1. Industrial equilibria involve a trade-off between production rate and equilibrium position.
2. Temperature, pressure, surface area, concentration, and catalysts impact rates and equilibrium, often in opposing ways.
3. High pressures and temperatures boost reaction rates but must balance safety and cost.
4. High pressures are costly and increase equipment failure risk.
5. Low temperatures slow reactions but can favour desired product in exothermic reactions.

Common misconception

Keywords

• Equilibrium position - refers to the relative concentrations of reactants and products in a reversible reaction at equilibrium.

• Dynamic equilibrium - occurs in a closed system when the forward and reverse reactions of a reversible chemical reaction are occurring at the same rate; and the concentrations of reactants and products remain constant.

• Reaction rate - is the speed with which a chemical reaction takes place, measured by the amount of a reactant used or amount of product formed in a given time.

• Haber process - an industrial method for producing ammonia.

• Contact process - an industrial method for producing sulfuric acid.