Chapter 18: Chemical equilibrium

Section 1: The Nature of chemical equilibrium

• Explain the nature of the equilibrium constant.

• Write chemical equilibrium expressions and carry out calculations involving them.
Reversible Reactions
• Theoretically, every reaction can proceed in two directions, forward and reverse.

• Essentially all chemical reactions are considered to be reversible under suitable conditions.

• A chemical reaction in which the products can react to re-form the reactants is called a ___________________.
Reversible Reactions, continued
• A reversible chemical reaction is in ________________when the rate of its forward reaction equals
the rate of its reverse reaction and the concentrations of its products and reactants remain unchanged.
• A state of dynamic equilibrium has been reached when the amounts of products and reactants remain
_____________.
• Both reactions continue, but there is no net change in the composition of the system.
• The chemical equation for the reaction at equilibrium is written using double arrows to indicate the
overall reversibility of the reaction. ________________________________________
Equilibrium, a Dynamic State
• Many chemical reactions are reversible under ordinary conditions of temperature and concentration.
• They will reach a state of equilibrium unless at least one of the substances involved _______ or is ________ from the reaction
system.
• When the products of the forward reaction are favored, there is a higher concentration of products than of reactants at equilibrium. →
The equilibrium “lies to the right”
• When the products of the reverse reaction are favored, there is a higher concentration of reactants than of products at equilibrium.
← the equilibrium “lies to the left”
• In other cases, both forward and reverse reactions occur to nearly the same extent before chemical equilibrium is established.

• Neither reaction is favored, and considerable concentrations of both reactants and products are present at equilibrium.
Equilibrium, a Dynamic State, continued
• products of the forward reaction favored, lies to the right
• ________________________________________________________________________________________
• products of the reverse reaction favored, lies to the left
• ________________________________________________________________________________________
• Neither reaction is favored
• ________________________________________________________________________________________
The Equilibrium Expression
⎯⎯
nA + mB ⎯→ xC + yD
⎯
• ________________________________________________________________________________________
• ________________________________________________________________________________________
• ________________________________________________________________________________________
• ________________________________________________________________________________________
Reaction Rate Over Time for an Equilibrium System
The Equilibrium Expression, continued
⎯⎯
nA + mB ⎯→ xC + yD
⎯
• After equilibrium is reached, the individual concentrations of A, B, C, and D undergo no further change if conditions remain
the same.

• A ratio of their concentrations should also remain constant.

• The equilibrium constant is designated by the letter K.

• K is dependent on the temperature of the system.

• The numerical value of K for a particular equilibrium system is obtained experimentally.

• If K is equal to 1 at equilibrium, there are roughly equal concentrations of reactants and products.
The Equilibrium Constant, continued
• If the value of K is small, the reactants are favored.

• A large value of K indicates that the products are favored.

• Only the concentrations of substances that can actually change are included in K.

• Pure solids and liquids are omitted because their concentrations cannot change.
Determining Keq for Reaction at Chemical Equilibrium
The Equilibrium Constant, continued
• The _________________________is
equilibrium constant, k the ratio of the mathematical product of the concentrations of substances formed
at equilibrium to the mathematical product of the concentrations of reacting substances. Each concentration is raised to a
power equal to the coefficient of that substance in the chemical equation.
• The equation for K is sometimes referred to as the chemical equilibrium expression.
Equilibrium Constants
______________

______________

______________

______________

______________
Equilibrium Constants

___________________

___________________

___________________

___________________
The Equilibrium Expression, continued
The H2, I2, HI Equilibrium System
• The rate of the reaction between H2 and I2 vapor in a sealed flask at an elevated temperature can be followed by observing
the rate at which the violet color of the iodine vapor diminishes.

• The color fades to a constant intensity but does not disappear completely because the reaction is reversible.
• Hydrogen iodide decomposes to re-form hydrogen and iodine
• The constant color achieved indicates that equilibrium exists among hydrogen, iodine, and hydrogen iodide.
Reaction between hydrogen and iodine
• The net chemical equation for the reaction is
• ________________________________________________
• The following chemical equilibrium expression is
• ______________________
• The value for K is constant for any system of H2, I2, and HI at equilibrium at a given temperature.
Rate Comparison for H2(g) + I2(g)→2HI(g)
H2(g) + I2(g)→2HI(g)

• So At 425°C, the equilibrium constant for this equilibrium reaction system has the average value of _________.
notes
• The balanced chemical equation for an equilibrium system is necessary to write the expression for the equilibrium
constant.

• Once the value of the equilibrium constant is known, the equilibrium constant expression can be used to calculate
concentrations of reactants or products at equilibrium.
Sample Problem A

An equilibrium mixture of N2, O2 , and NO gases at1500 K is determined to consist of 6.4  10–3 mol/L of
N2, 1.7  10–3 mol/L of O2, and 1.1  10–5 mol/L of NO. What is the equilibrium constant for the system at
this temperature?