Compound A undergoes a reversible isomerization reaction, $AB,$ over a supported metal

catalyst. Under pertinent conditions, A and B are liquid, miscible, and of nearly identical

density; the equilibrium constant for the reaction $($in concentration units$)$ is $5\mathrm{.}8.$ In a fixed$-$

bed isothermal flow reactor in which backmixing is negligible $($i$.$e$.$ plug flow$),$ a feed of pure

A undergoes a net conversion to B of $55\%.$ The reaction is elementary. If a second, identical

flow reactor at the same temperature is placed downstream from the first, what overall

conversion of A would you expect if:

a$)$ The reactors are directly connected in series?

b$)$ The products from the first reactor are separated by appropriate processing and only the

unconverted A is fed to the second reactor?

Hint: You don't have values for several constants such as $k$ and the flowrates. But you can

group these unknowns together and solve for that term in the first reactor and then use it to

find conversion in the second reactor.