A student investigates the esterification reaction between propanoic acid, C2H5COOH(l)\text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{COOH}(\text{l})C2H5COOH(l), and ethanol, C2H5OH(l)\text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{OH}(\text{l})C2H5OH(l), in the presence of an acid catalyst to produce ethyl propanoate and water:
C2H5COOH(l)+C2H5OH(l)⇌C2H5COOC2H5(l)+H2O(l) \text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{COOH}(\text{l}) + \text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{OH}(\text{l}) \rightleftharpoons \text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{COOC}_2\text{H}_5(\text{l}) + \text{H}_2\text{O}(\text{l}) C2H5COOH(l)+C2H5OH(l)⇌C2H5COOC2H5(l)+H2O(l)Explain why performing the kinetic study with a large excess of ethanol allows the order of reaction with respect to propanoic acid to be determined directly.
In a separate experiment to determine the equilibrium constant, KcK_cKc, the student mixes 23.0 g23.0\text{ g}23.0 g of ethanol (C2H5OH\text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{OH}C2H5OH) with 29.6 g29.6\text{ g}29.6 g of propanoic acid (C2H5COOH\text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{COOH}C2H5COOH) and adds a small amount of acid catalyst.
When the mixture reaches equilibrium at constant temperature, 0.10 mol0.10\text{ mol}0.10 mol of propanoic acid remains.
Calculate the value of KcK_cKc for this equilibrium.