Section 1 The Nature of Chemical

Chapter 18 Equilibrium

Objectives

1. Chemical Equilibrium.

2. Chemical Equilibrium Expressions.

 Section 1 The Nature of Chemical
Chapter 18 Equilibrium

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.

• Reversible reaction: a chemical reaction in which the

products can react to re-form the reactants
⎯⎯
2HgO(s ) ⎯→ 2Hg(l ) + O2 ( g )
⎯
double arrows to indicate the overall reversibility of the
reaction
 Section 1 The Nature of Chemical
Chapter 18 Equilibrium

Chemical Equilibrium
• Chemical equilibrium: a state of a reversible chemical
reaction when the rate of its forward reaction equals the
rate of its reverse reaction and the concentrations of its
products and reactants remain unchanged.
 Section 1 The Nature of Chemical
Chapter 18 Equilibrium

• 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 escapes or is
removed from the reaction
system.(it must be in
closed system e.g. sealed
flask)
 Section 1 The Nature of Chemical
Chapter 18 Equilibrium

• 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.
 Section 1 The Nature of Chemical
Chapter 18 Equilibrium

Reaction Favorability & Equilibrium

1.When the forward reaction are favored, there is a
higher concentration of products than of reactants at
equilibrium.
• The equilibrium “lies to the right”
2SO2 (g ) + O2 (g ) ⎯⎯
⎯→ 2SO3 (g )

2.When the reverse reaction are favored, there is a

higher concentration of reactants than of products at
equilibrium.
• The equilibrium “lies to the left”
⎯
→
H2CO3 (aq ) + H2O(l) ⎯⎯ 3
H O +
( aq ) + HCO –
3 (aq )
 Section 1 The Nature of Chemical
Chapter 18 Equilibrium

3. When neither reaction is favored, considerable

concentrations of both reactants and products are
present at equilibrium.
⎯⎯
H2SO3 (aq ) + H2O(l ) ⎯→
⎯ 3
H O +
( aq ) + HSO –
3 (aq )
 Section 1 The Nature of Chemical
Chapter 18 Equilibrium

The Equilibrium Expression

⎯⎯
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.

 Section 1 The Nature of Chemical
Chapter 18 Equilibrium

• The equilibrium constant (K): the ratio of the mathematical

product of the concentrations of substances formed at
equilibrium (products) to the mathematical product of the
concentrations of reacting substances (reactants). Each
concentration is raised to a power equal to the coefficient of
that substance in the chemical equation.
[C]x [D]y
K= Chemical equilibrium
[A]n [B]m expression.

𝐶 , [𝐷] are the molar concentration of products.

]𝐵[ , ]𝐴[ are the molar concentration of reactants.
x , y are the coefficient of the products.
n , m are the coefficient of the reactants.
 Section 1 The Nature of Chemical
Chapter 18 Equilibrium

• The numerical value of K for a particular equilibrium system

is obtained experimentally.

1. If K is equal to 1 at equilibrium, there are roughly equal

concentrations of reactants and products.

2. If the value of K is small, the reactants are favored.

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

 Section 1 The Nature of Chemical
Chapter 18 Equilibrium

•K is dependent on the temperature of the system.

•The constant K is independent of the initial concentrations.

•Only the concentrations of substances that can actually change

are included in K.

•Pure solids and liquids are omitted because their concentrations

cannot change.

•The balanced chemical equation for an equilibrium system is

necessary to write the expression for the equilibrium constant.
 Section 1 The Nature of Chemical
Chapter 18 Equilibrium
 Section 1 The Nature of Chemical
Chapter 18 Equilibrium

Determining Keq for Reaction at Chemical Equilibrium

 Section 1 The Nature of Chemical
Chapter 18 Equilibrium

• The net chemical equation for the reaction is

⎯⎯
H2 (g ) + I2 (g ) ⎯→ 2HI(g )
⎯
• The following chemical equilibrium expression is

[HI]2
K=
[H2 ][I2 ]
 Section 1 The Nature of Chemical
Chapter 18 Equilibrium

• The value for K is constant for any system of H2, I2, and
HI at equilibrium at a given temperature.

• At 425°C, the equilibrium constant for this equilibrium

reaction system has the average value of 54.34.
 Section 1 The Nature of Chemical
Chapter 18 Equilibrium

The Equilibrium Expression, continued

Sample Problem A
An equilibrium mixture of N2, O2 , and NO gases at
1500 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?
 Section 1 The Nature of Chemical
Chapter 18 Equilibrium

The Equilibrium Expression, continued

Sample Problem A Solution
Given: [N2] = 6.4  10–3 mol/L
[O2] = 1.7  10–3 mol/L
[NO] = 1.1  10–5 mol/L
Unknown: K
Solution:
The balanced chemical equation is ⎯⎯
N2 (g ) + O2 (g ) ⎯→ 2NO(g )
⎯
[NO]2
The chemical equilibrium expression is K =
[N2 ][O2 ]
 Section 1 The Nature of Chemical
Chapter 18 Equilibrium

The Equilibrium Expression, continued

Sample Problem A Solution, continued