The dissolution of F e F X 2 ( s ) \ce{FeF2(s)} FeF X 2 ( s ) in acidic solution is represented by the last reaction. We can determine if it is
thermodynamically favored by finding the value of K 3 K_3 K 3 .
The following equilibrium equations can be written for the first two equations (remember that solids are not included in equilibrium equations).
F e F X 2 ( s ) ⇄ F e X 2 + ( a q ) + 2 F X − ( a q ) K 1 = 2 × 1 0 − 6 \ce{FeF2(s) <--> Fe^{2+}(aq) + 2F-(aq)} \hskip{2em} K_1=2\times 10^{-6} FeF X 2 ( s ) Fe X 2 + ( aq ) + 2 F X − ( aq ) K 1 = 2 × 1 0 − 6
K 1 = [ F X − ] 2 [ F e X 2 + ] K_1 = [\ce{F-}]^2[\ce{Fe^{2+}}] K 1 = [ F X − ] 2 [ Fe X 2 + ]
F X − ( a q ) + H X + ( a q ) ⇄ H F ( a q ) K 2 = 1 × 1 0 3 \ce{F-(aq) + H+(aq) <--> HF(aq)} \hskip{2em} K_2=1\times 10^3 F X − ( aq ) + H X + ( aq ) HF ( aq ) K 2 = 1 × 1 0 3
K 2 = [ H F ] [ H X + ] [ F X − ] K_2 = \frac{[\ce{HF}]}{[\ce{H+}][\ce{F-}]} K 2 = [ H X + ] [ F X − ] [ HF ]
We can also write an equilibrium equation for the third reaction:
K 3 = [ F e X 2 + ] [ H F ] 2 [ H X + ] 2 K_3 = \frac{[\ce{Fe^{2+}}][\ce{HF}]^2}{[\ce{H+}]^2} K 3 = [ H X + ] 2 [ Fe X 2 + ] [ HF ] 2
K 3 K_3 K 3 can be obtained from K 1 K_1 K 1 and K 2 K_2 K 2 the following way:
K 3 = K 1 ⋅ K 2 2 K_3 = K_1\cdot K_2^2 K 3 = K 1 ⋅ K 2 2
[ F e X 2 + ] [ H F ] 2 [ H X + ] 2 = [ F X − ] 2 [ F e X 2 + ] ⋅ ( [ H F ] [ H X + ] [ F X − ] ) 2 \frac{[\ce{Fe^{2+}}][\ce{HF}]^2}{[\ce{H+}]^2} = [\ce{F-}]^2[\ce{Fe^{2+}}]\cdot\left(\frac{[\ce{HF}]}{[\ce{H+}][\ce{F-}]}\right)^2 [ H X + ] 2 [ Fe X 2 + ] [ HF ] 2 = [ F X − ] 2 [ Fe X 2 + ] ⋅ ( [ H X + ] [ F X − ] [ HF ] ) 2
[ F e X 2 + ] [ H F ] 2 [ H X + ] 2 = [ F X − ] 2 [ F e X 2 + ] ⋅ [ H F ] 2 [ H X + ] 2 [ F X − ] 2 \frac{[\ce{Fe^{2+}}][\ce{HF}]^2}{[\ce{H+}]^2} = [\ce{F-}]^2[\ce{Fe^{2+}}]\cdot \frac{[\ce{HF}]^2}{[\ce{H+}]^2[\ce{F-}]^2} [ H X + ] 2 [ Fe X 2 + ] [ HF ] 2 = [ F X − ] 2 [ Fe X 2 + ] ⋅ [ H X + ] 2 [ F X − ] 2 [ HF ] 2
[ F e X 2 + ] [ H F ] 2 [ H X + ] 2 = [ F X − ] 2 [ F e X 2 + ] ⋅ [ H F ] 2 [ H X + ] 2 [ F X − ] 2 \frac{[\ce{Fe^{2+}}][\ce{HF}]^2}{[\ce{H+}]^2} = \cancel{[\ce{F-}]^2}[\ce{Fe^{2+}}]\cdot \frac{[\ce{HF}]^2}{[\ce{H+}]^2\cancel{[\ce{F-}]^2}} [ H X + ] 2 [ Fe X 2 + ] [ HF ] 2 = [ F X − ] 2 [ Fe X 2 + ] ⋅ [ H X + ] 2 [ F X − ] 2 [ HF ] 2
[ F e X 2 + ] [ H F ] 2 [ H X + ] 2 = [ F e X 2 + ] [ H F ] 2 [ H X + ] 2 \frac{[\ce{Fe^{2+}}][\ce{HF}]^2}{[\ce{H+}]^2} = \frac{[\ce{Fe^{2+}}][\ce{HF}]^2}{[\ce{H+}]^2} [ H X + ] 2 [ Fe X 2 + ] [ HF ] 2 = [ H X + ] 2 [ Fe X 2 + ] [ HF ] 2
Therefore,
K 3 = K 1 ⋅ K 2 2 K_3 = K_1\cdot K_2^2 K 3 = K 1 ⋅ K 2 2
K 3 = ( 2 × 1 0 − 6 ) ⋅ ( 1 × 1 0 3 ) 2 K_3 = (2\times 10^{-6}) \cdot (1\times 10^3)^2 K 3 = ( 2 × 1 0 − 6 ) ⋅ ( 1 × 1 0 3 ) 2
K 3 = ( 2 × 1 0 − 6 ) ⋅ ( 1 × 1 0 6 ) K_3 = (2\times 10^{-6})\cdot(1\times 10^6) K 3 = ( 2 × 1 0 − 6 ) ⋅ ( 1 × 1 0 6 )
K 3 = 2 K_3 = 2 K 3 = 2
Since K 3 > 1 K_3 \gt 1 K 3 > 1 , the forward reaction is favored.