Equilibria Flashcards
What is a closed system
One in which reactants and products cannot escape (equilibrium can only be achieved this way)
What happens in a closed system
Reversible reactions attain a state of dynamic equilibrium when the rates of forward and reverse reactions are equal
How do chemists maximise profits
They employ strategies to move the position of equilibrium in favour of the products
What does the addition of a catalyst do
Increases the rate of the forward and reverse reactions equally
The catalyst increases the rate at which equilibrium is achieved but…
Does not affect the position of the equilibrium
At equilibrium…
- rate of forward reaction = rate of reverse reaction
- the concentration of reactants and products remain constant, but not normally equal
The rate of the forward reaction decreases…
And the rate of the reverse reaction increase until at equilibrium they are equal
If [reactants] > [products]
The equilibrium position lies to the side of the reactants i.e. LHS
If [reactants] < [products]
The equilibrium position lies to the side of the products i.e. RHS
An increase in pressure would move the equilibrium in favour of
the side with the lowest gas volume
At equilibrium the rate of the forwards reaction is
equal to the rate of the backwards reaction
An increase in temperature favours the
endothermic reaction
While equilibrium will be reached faster with a catalyst
the position of the equilibrium remains unchanged
