[mrcrunchy1]

Hey, guys, looking for some fellow chemists that can help me solve this problem. This problem involves and understanding of Reaction Rates, Chemical Kinetics, Rate Laws with a focus on reactions at equilibrium. This problem is giving me grief because I do not know how to proceed with the solution. It states:

8. Consider this reaction again:  2SO2 (g) + O2 -><- 2SO3 
This reaction was started with .500 atm of O2 and excess of SO2. When the reaction reaches equilibrium, it is found that .600 atom of SO3 has been produced. How much O2 is left at equilibrium?

[billnotgatez]

you must show your attempts
please read forum rules

[mrcrunchy1]

you must show your attempts
please read forum rules

Okay, so this is what I reasoned, it wasn't really a showing of my work, because I had no idea what to derive from it. But, I reasoned that since at equilibrium there was .6 atm of SO3, that there had to have been a consumption of O2 somewhere.  If we started with .5 atm of O2, then:    Change in O2 = .5 - .6 = .1 atm O2 (since the SO2 is reacting with molecular oxygen). But I feel this is not the right answer because it makes no sense intuitively, but, that is what I reasoned.

[Borek]

Change in O2 = .5 - .6 = .1 atm O2

That would be -0.1 atm of O₂, not 0.1 atm.

You are close. It is all about the stoichiometry. You just ignored the stoichiometric coefficients in the reaction equation. It is not 1:1.