Carbon and carbon dioxide react as $C (s) + CO X_{2} (g) 2 CO (g)$ with $K_{p} = 1.60$ atm at a given temperature. The total pressure of the gas mixture at equilibrium is held at 2.0 atm. Calculate the equilibrium partial pressure of $CO$ in atm, to two decimal places.

Numerical answer type, answer in atm, tolerance 0.005.

Answer: 1.16 atm

Let

p_{CO} = p

, so

p_{CO X_{2}} = 2.0 - p

. Then

p^{2} / (2.0 - p) = 1.60

, i.e.

p^{2} + 1.60 p - 3.20 = 0

. The positive root is

p = 1.1596

atm.