Chemical Equilibrium

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CHEMISTRY QUICK NOTES

Chapter 1: Chemical Equilibrium

Introduction:
1. Some reversible and irreversible reactions from our daily life and surroundings
are:
condensation, evaporation, freezing & melting as reversible reactions,
combustion & rusting as irreversible reactions.
2. The reversible chemical reactions never goes to completion.
3. This happens because product reacts and reproduce reactants again and this
takes place in a forward and reverse direction.
4. State in which forward reaction rate and reverse reaction rate are equal is known
as equilibrium.

Fact Point [Did You Know]:


Equilibrium In Our Body:
1. Haemoglobin is a macromolecule in our bodies that transports oxygen.
2. Haemoglobin has to be able to take up oxygen, but also release it which is
achieved through the changes in chemical equilibrium.
3. This occurs at different places in our bodies.

1.1: Reversible Reaction and Dynamic Equilibrium:


1. Reversible reaction never completes and never exists in forward and reverse
direction.
2. A chemical reaction is a chemical change which involves reactants and products.
Examples:
Formation reaction: formation of water from Hydrogen gas and Oxygen gas.
Decomposition reaction: decomposition of sodium bicarbonate into sodium
carbonate, water and carbon dioxide, etc.
3. A chemical reaction contains two quantities; reactant and product which are
separated by an arrow.
4. Single headed arrows are used for irreversible reaction and double half headed
arrows are used for reversible reaction that never goes to completion.
5. When one mole of Nitrogen gas reacts with three moles of Hydrogen, it
produces two moles of ammonia gas [Forward Reaction].
Formula: N2(g) + 3H2(g) → 2NH3(g)
6. When two moles of ammonia are converted into 3 moles of Hydrogen gas and
one mole of Nitrogen gas, it is called a reverse reaction.
Formula: N2(g) + 3H2(g) ← 2NH3(g)
7. When both reactions are written together as reversible reaction, they become:
N2(g) + 3H2(g) ⇌ 2NH3(g)
8. The reaction rate depends on the concentration of the reactants.
9. Quantity of reactant is higher in the beginning, hence the rate of product
formation is also higher.
10. Quantity of reactant is decreased at the end, hence the rate of reactant
transformation and product formation also decreases.
11. After a certain time, the concentrations of reactants and products become
constant, and this state is called Dynamic Equilibrium.
12. Dynamic Equilibrium is also defined as: When the rate of forward reaction is
equal to the rate of reverse reaction.
13. In a reversible reaction, dynamic equilibrium is established before the
competition of the result.
14. In example of Hydrogen iodide, Hydrogen and iodine molecules are closed in a
container, initially there are just reactants but gradually the hydrogen iodide
molecules are formed [forward reaction], then the reverse reaction occurs until
the result reaches equilibrium.
15. There are no observable changes although both reactions are occuring, but at
dynamic equilibrium.

pg#5
1.2:Law of Mass Action and Derivation of Equation for
Equilibrium Constant:
Law of Mass Action:
1. Rate at which a substance reacts is directly proportional to its active mass.
2. Rate of reaction is directly proportional to product of reacting masses of the
reacting substances.
3. Ratio of the reactant concentration and product concentration is constant
during chemical equilibrium.
Derivation (on a hypothetical reversible reaction):
1. aA + bB ⇌ cC + dD [reversible reaction equation]
2. Rate of Forward Reaction:
Assume;
A and B are reactants,
a and b are no. of moles balancing the chemical reaction.
Rf ∝ [A]a[B]b
Rf = kf [A]a[B]b [kf is the constant for forward reaction]
3. Rate of Reverse Reaction:
Assume;
Rate of Reverse reaction is directly proportional to the product of molar
concentrations of C and D.
c and d are no. of moles balancing the chemical reaction.
Rr ∝ [C]c[D]d
Rr = kr [C]c[D]d [ kr is the constant for reverse reaction]
4. Reaction at equilibrium, then:
Rf = Rr
kf [A]a[B]b = kr [C]c[D]d
5. Separating constants and variables:
kf/kr = [C]c[D]d/[A]a[B]b
OR kc = [C]c[D]d/[A]a[B]b
OR kc = kf/kr
6. Hence, kc = [Product]/[Reactant] [Here, kc is equilibrium constant]

1.3: Equilibrium Constant and its Units:


1. Equilibrium Constants are determined by observing the concentration of each
reactant and product in a reaction until it reaches equilibrium, and then
calculating its numerical value.
2. It is not possible to alter the equilibrium constant of a reaction because it is
measured during chemical equilibrium.
3. Temperature is the only factor affecting equilibrium constant’s value.
pg#7

1.4: Importance of Equilibrium Constant:


1. Value of kc varies depending on the response.
2. Not only a calculating constant.
3. Affects the direction and extent of a chemical reaction.
1. Direction of a Chemical Reaction: [condition = direction]
1. The reaction quotient Qc can help forecast the reaction’s condition at any given
time.
2. Qc is a ratio of real concentrations computed at a given moment.
3. It is not a ratio of equilibrium concentrations [although, they share the same
mathematical structure].
Comparing Qc and kc predicts response directions.
1. Qc=kc system is stable.
2. Qc<kc forward reaction occuring [forming additional products].
3. Qc>kc reverse reaction occuring [forming more reactants].
2. Extent of Chemical Reaction: [scope = extent]
1. The extent of a reaction is measured at a certain temperature.
Magnitude of an equilibrium can predict the scope of the chemical reaction.
1. kc is very small:
Such reactions never finish.
Reverse or Backward responses/reactions.
2. kc is very large:
Reactions are virtually complete.
Forward reaction.
3. kc is neither very large nor very small:
Reaction at equilibrium.

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