1. What is Reactant Conversion?

Definition: Reactant Conversion (XA) measures the fraction of reactants that have been converted to products in a chemical reaction.

Purpose: This calculator helps determine the conversion when dealing with reactions where density varies (volume changes during the reaction).

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( X_A \) — Reactant conversion (dimensionless, between 0 and 1)
• \( C_o \) — Initial reactant concentration (mol/m³)
• \( C \) — Current reactant concentration (mol/m³)
• \( \epsilon \) — Fractional volume change (dimensionless)

Explanation: The formula accounts for both the consumption of reactants and any volume change during the reaction.

3. Importance of Reactant Conversion Calculation

Details: Accurate conversion calculations are essential for reactor design, process optimization, and understanding reaction kinetics in systems with volume changes.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the initial concentration (Co), current concentration (C), and fractional volume change (ε, default 0.21). Current concentration must be ≤ initial concentration.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does fractional volume change (ε) represent?
A: ε represents the relative volume change during reaction, calculated as (Vfinal - Vinitial)/Vinitial.

Q2: What's a typical value for ε?
A: For many reactions ε is small (near 0), but it can be significant for gas-phase reactions or reactions with large mole changes.

Q3: How does volume change affect conversion?
A: Volume expansion (ε > 0) tends to decrease apparent conversion, while contraction (ε < 0) increases it, compared to constant-volume systems.

Q4: What if my reaction has no volume change?
A: Set ε = 0, and the formula simplifies to XA = 1 - (C/Co).

Q5: Can conversion exceed 1 in this formula?
A: No, the maximum conversion is 1 (100%), achieved when C = 0 (all reactant converted).