Chemical Equilibrium: Chemical

Reactions and Balance

COURSE: GENERAL CHEMISTRY
RICHMOND GABRIEL UNIVERSITY
 Objectives
Students should be able to:
 Explain the concept of dynamic equilibrium using physical
and chemical examples
 State the characteristics of a system in dynamic equilibrium
 Explain one way in which dynamic equilibrium can be
established in chemical systems
 Interpret dynamic equilibrium graphically
 Apply Le Chatelier’s principle to explain the effects of
changes in temperature, concentration and pressure on a
system in equilibrium.
 Types of Reactions
 Irreversible Reactions – goes to completion when one of the
reactants is used up completely. Products cannot be converted
back to the reactants.

 E.g., Mg (s) + 2 HCl (aq) → MgCl2 (aq) + H2 (g)

 Types of Reactions

 Reversible Reactions – do not go to completion.

 i.e. The original reactants form products, but then the
products react with themselves to give back the original
reactants.
 Actually, two reactions are occurring, and the eventual
result is a mixture of reactants and products, rather than
simply a mixture of products.
 Equilibrium

 Generally, equilibrium is a condition where equal and

opposite forces act on an object.
 There are two main types of equilibrium: static and
dynamic
 An example of static equilibrium is two people of
equal weight on a seesaw.
Dynamic Equilibrium Concept

• In dynamic equilibrium, the

speed of one process equals
that of the opposing process.

• There is constant movement of

the particles involved but no
observable net change.
 Examples of dynamic equilibrium

 Running on a treadmill
 Running up an escalator going down
 Ice and water in an insulated container
 CO2 dissolved in soda in a can
 Characteristics of Dynamic Equilibrium

 Equilibrium occurs in a closed system for gaseous rxns

• The system consists of those

molecules which are reacting
and their energies.

• A closed system is defined as

one where none of the reactants
or products can escape

Mayyskiyysergeyy.2013. CC BY SA

 Dynamic equilibrium occurs in reversible reactions when the rate

of the forward rxn is equal to the rate of the backward rxn
 Characteristics of Dynamic
Equilibrium cont’d
 At equilibrium there are both products and reactants
in the rxn vessel and their concentrations do not
change. (Does that mean the concentrations of
reactants and products are equal?)
 Macroscopic properties remain constant.
 The position of equilibrium can be approached from
either side of the chemical equation.
 Eg. H2(g) + I2(g) 2HI(g)
 The above reaction can be started by using a mixture of colorless
hydrogen gas and purple iodine vapour or using only colourless
hydrogen iodide gas
 Reversible Reactions

• Concentration remain constant at equilibrium.

• Equilibrium between reactants and products is achieved
regardless of whether the reaction starts with the reactants or
products.
H2(g)+I2(g) ⇌ 2HI(g) 2HI(g) ⇌
H2(g)+I2(g)
Dynamic equilibrium being established in a
chemical process
Rate vs time graphs for dynamic
equilibrium
 Conc. Vs time graph for dynamic
equilibrium

• Can you identify the reactants and products from this

graph?
• How was the equilibrium point identified?
Summary so far

George Zaidan and Charles Morton. 2013. CC

 Practice Question

Which one of the following statements regarding a dynamic equilibrium is false?

 a) At equilibrium, there is no net change in the system

 b) At equilibrium, the concentration of reactants and products stays the same

 c) At equilibrium, the forward and back reactions cease to occur

 d) At equilibrium, the rates of the forward and back reactions are identical
 Practice Question

At equilibrium, the concentrations of the reactants and products will be equal.

True or false?

a) True

b) False