Chemical Equilibrium

Front

What is chemical equilibrium?

Back

Chemical equilibrium is the state in a reversible reaction where the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal, resulting in constant concentrations of reactants and products.

Front

What happens to the equilibrium when the concentration of a reactant is increased?

Back

The equilibrium shifts to the right, favoring the formation of products.

Front

What happens to the equilibrium when the concentration of a product is increased?

Back

The equilibrium shifts to the left, favoring the formation of reactants.

Front

How does an increase in pressure affect a reaction at equilibrium?

Back

The equilibrium shifts towards the side with fewer moles of gas.

Front

What is Le Chatelier's Principle?

Back

Le Chatelier's Principle states that if a dynamic equilibrium is disturbed by changing the conditions, the position of equilibrium shifts to counteract the change.

Front

If the temperature of an exothermic reaction is increased, what happens to the equilibrium?

Back

The equilibrium shifts to the left, favoring the reactants.

Front

If the temperature of an endothermic reaction is decreased, what happens to the equilibrium?

Back

The equilibrium shifts to the left, favoring the reactants.

Front

What is the effect of a catalyst on chemical equilibrium?

Back

A catalyst speeds up the rate of both the forward and reverse reactions equally, but does not change the position of equilibrium.

Front

What is the equilibrium constant (K)?

Back

The equilibrium constant (K) is a numerical value that expresses the ratio of the concentrations of products to reactants at equilibrium, each raised to the power of their coefficients in the balanced equation.

Front

How do you calculate the equilibrium constant (K) for the reaction aA + bB ⇌ cC + dD?

Back

K = [C]^c [D]^d / [A]^a [B]^b, where [X] represents the concentration of species X.