Chapter: Chemical Equilibrium

Introduction

In most chemical reactions, we observe that reactants change into products. However, some
reactions do not go to completion. Instead, reactants and products exist in a state of balance,
where the amounts of each do not change. This balance, or equilibrium, is a fundamental concept
in chemistry.

Chemical equilibrium occurs in reactions that are reversible. Reversible reactions are those
where products can reform into reactants, and vice versa, under appropriate conditions.

9.1 Reversible Reactions and Dynamic Equilibrium

What is a Reversible Reaction?

In a reversible reaction, products can be converted back into reactants. Such reactions do not go
to completion but continue to occur in both directions (forward and reverse) at the same time.
This is different from irreversible reactions, which proceed only in one direction until the
reactants are fully consumed.

A common representation of a reversible reaction is:

A+B⇌C+DA + B \rightleftharpoons C + D

This notation with a double arrow indicates that both forward and reverse reactions are
occurring.

Dynamic Equilibrium

At equilibrium, both the forward and reverse reactions are still occurring, but there is no net
change in the concentrations of reactants and products. This is known as dynamic equilibrium.
The system remains balanced, but reactions continue at equal rates in both directions.

Key points of dynamic equilibrium:

 It occurs in a closed system (no reactants or products can escape).

 Both forward and reverse reactions occur at equal rates.
 Concentrations of reactants and products remain constant but do not equal each other.

Example: Hydrogen and Iodine Reaction

Consider the reaction between hydrogen and iodine:

H2(g)+I2(g)⇌2HI(g)H_2(g) + I_2(g) \rightleftharpoons 2HI(g)

In a closed container, hydrogen and iodine react to form hydrogen iodide (HI). As the
concentration of HI increases, the reverse reaction (HI decomposing back into H2 and I2)
becomes more likely. Eventually, the forward and reverse reactions occur at the same rate, and
equilibrium is achieved.

9.2 Law of Mass Action

In 1869, Guldberg and Waage formulated the Law of Mass Action, which states that the rate of
a chemical reaction is directly proportional to the concentration of the reactants, each raised to a
power equal to the coefficient of that substance in the balanced chemical equation.

For the reaction:

aA+bB⇌cC+dDaA + bB \rightleftharpoons cC + dD

The rates of the forward and reverse reactions are:

 Forward: Rf=kf[A]a[B]bR_f = k_f[A]^a [B]^b

 Reverse: Rr=kr[C]c[D]dR_r = k_r[C]^c [D]^d

At equilibrium, the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal, so:

kf[A]a[B]b=kr[C]c[D]dk_f[A]^a [B]^b = k_r[C]^c [D]^d

By combining the rate constants (kfk_f and krk_r), we derive the equilibrium constant
expression KcK_c:

Kc=[C]c[D]d[A]a[B]bK_c = \frac{[C]^c [D]^d}{[A]^a [B]^b}

9.3 Equilibrium Constant and Its Units

The equilibrium constant (KcK_c) provides information about the position of equilibrium. It
tells us how far the reaction will proceed before equilibrium is reached:

 A large value of KcK_c indicates that, at equilibrium, the reaction has nearly gone to
completion with mostly products and little reactants.
 A small value of KcK_c means the reaction has only converted a small fraction of
reactants into products, with most reactants remaining.

Units of KcK_c

The units of KcK_c depend on the reaction and the change in the number of moles of reactants
and products. If the number of moles of reactants and products is equal, then KcK_c is
dimensionless. Otherwise, the units will vary depending on the reaction.
Example: Hydrogen Iodine Reaction

For the reaction:

H2(g)+I2(g)⇌2HI(g)H_2(g) + I_2(g) \rightleftharpoons 2HI(g)

The equilibrium constant expression is:

Kc=[HI]2[H2][I2]K_c = \frac{[HI]^2}{[H_2][I_2]}

9.4 Importance of the Equilibrium Constant

The value of KcK_c provides valuable insights into the behavior of reactions:

1. Predicting the Direction of a Reaction

The direction in which a reaction proceeds to reach equilibrium can be predicted using the
reaction quotient (QcQ_c), which is calculated using the current concentrations of the reactants
and products, even if the system is not at equilibrium.

 If Qc<KcQ_c < K_c, the reaction will move forward to produce more products.
 If Qc>KcQ_c > K_c, the reaction will move in reverse to produce more reactants.
 If Qc=KcQ_c = K_c, the system is at equilibrium, and no net change occurs.

2. Predicting the Extent of a Reaction

The equilibrium constant also tells us about how far a reaction proceeds before reaching
equilibrium:

 A large value of KcK_c (greater than 1) indicates that the reaction favors the formation
of products.
 A small value of KcK_c (less than 1) suggests that the reaction favors the reactants.
 A moderate value of KcK_c indicates that comparable amounts of reactants and
products exist at equilibrium.

Key Concepts Recap:

1. Reversible reactions can proceed in both directions, leading to equilibrium.

2. Dynamic equilibrium is a state where the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are
equal, and the concentrations of reactants and products remain constant.
3. The Law of Mass Action relates the rate of a reaction to the concentration of reactants
and products.
4. Equilibrium constant (KcK_c) predicts the position and extent of a reaction at
equilibrium.
5. The reaction quotient (QcQ_c) can predict the direction of a reaction before equilibrium
is reached.
Chapter: Chemical Equilibrium – A Simple Guide

Imagine you have a toy car and you push it to the other side of the room. After some time, it
slows down and stops, right? But if you gave the car a little push, it would keep moving back and
forth, but it wouldn't go too far in either direction. This is kind of like what happens in some
chemical reactions. Let’s break it down step-by-step in a super simple way!

1. What is Chemical Equilibrium?

In chemical reactions, substances called reactants change to form products. Most reactions
seem like they just happen once and "finish," but that’s not always the case. Some reactions are
like a game of tag: reactants are "chased" by products, and products can also turn back into
reactants!

So, instead of the reaction stopping, it keeps happening in both directions at the same time.
That’s chemical equilibrium: the reaction is still going, but the amount of reactants and
products stays the same because they are being made and used up at the same rate.

Simple Example:

Think of a glass of water. If you put sugar in it, the sugar dissolves into the water. If you keep
adding sugar, at some point, the water can’t dissolve any more and will be saturated. The sugar
will still be dissolving and crystallizing back out, but the amount in the water will stay the same
— that’s like equilibrium.

2. Reversible Reactions

Now, think about reversible reactions. These are reactions where the products can turn back
into the reactants. For example, imagine if you make a glass of lemonade. You mix water, lemon
juice, and sugar. But if you add ice, some of that lemonade could turn back into just water, lemon
juice, and sugar!

A reversible reaction looks like this:

Reactants⇌Products\text{Reactants} \rightleftharpoons \text{Products}

Both sides are happening at the same time — one direction is making products, and the other is
making reactants.

3. Dynamic Equilibrium – What’s That?

Dynamic equilibrium sounds fancy, but it’s just a way of saying that things are happening,
but nothing is changing. Imagine a video game where you collect coins. At first, you’re picking
up lots of coins, but then you start dropping some too. Eventually, the number of coins you’re
collecting equals the number you’re dropping. You're still picking up coins, but the total amount
stays the same — that’s dynamic equilibrium.

In a chemical reaction, dynamic equilibrium happens when the rate of the forward reaction
(making products) equals the rate of the reverse reaction (making reactants). So, even though the
reactions are still happening, the overall amount of reactants and products doesn’t change.

4. The Law of Mass Action

Now, there's a rule called the Law of Mass Action. It’s like a rule in a game that says: the speed
of the reaction depends on how much of each substance you have.

If you have more reactants, the reaction goes faster in the direction to make products. If you have
more products, the reaction might go the other way and make more reactants.

5. The Equilibrium Constant (Kc)

Every reversible reaction has an equilibrium constant (called Kc). It’s like a scoreboard that
tells you which side the reaction is winning at equilibrium.

 If Kc is a big number, the reaction makes mostly products.

 If Kc is a small number, the reaction makes mostly reactants.

Example: Think of baking a cake. If Kc is really high, your ingredients (reactants) are quickly
being turned into a cake (products). If Kc is low, it might mean the ingredients are not mixing
well, and you’re not getting much cake!

6. What Affects Equilibrium?

Sometimes, equilibrium can shift. This means, the reaction might make more products or more
reactants depending on what you do. This is called Le Chatelier’s Principle.

Here’s how it works:

 Add more reactants: The reaction will try to make more products.
 Add more products: The reaction will try to make more reactants.
 Increase temperature: If the reaction is hot, it might go faster in the reverse direction.
 Change pressure: If you increase pressure, the reaction might favor the side with fewer
gas molecules.
7. Equilibrium and Real Life

Equilibrium is everywhere! For example:

 In your body, oxygen and carbon dioxide are always in balance — you breathe in
oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. This is controlled by equilibrium in your lungs
and cells.
 Plants use equilibrium too! They take in carbon dioxide and produce oxygen — and they
use the balance between these gases to survive.

8. Conclusion: Key Points to Remember

 Equilibrium is when a reversible reaction happens in both directions at the same rate, so
the amount of reactants and products stay the same.
 The Law of Mass Action helps predict how much of each substance will be in
equilibrium.
 Dynamic equilibrium means both reactions are still happening, but the amounts don’t
change.
 Kc is the equilibrium constant that tells you how much product and reactant there is at
equilibrium.
 You can shift equilibrium by changing conditions like temperature or pressure.

In Short:
Chemical equilibrium is like a balance in a game where everything is moving, but in the end, the
numbers of reactants and products stay the same. Equilibrium happens everywhere, even inside
your body, and it’s a key part of how reactions work in nature!

I hope this makes sense and helps you understand chemical equilibrium in a simple and fun
way!