Lecture 2. Chemical Equilibrium in Biological Systems Flashcards
What is equilibrium ?
When the concentration of reactants and products do not change
What are all chemical reactions ?
Dynamic
What are the five characteristics of chemical equilibrium ?
- In order to observe equilibrium, the system must be closed.
- Equilibrium is reached spontaneously.
- The system shows no macroscopic evidence of change.
- The equilibrium is dynamic.
- The same equilibrium conditions are obtained at a given temperature.
When is equilibrium reached ?
The rates of forward reaction equal the rate of the backwards reaction
Does it matter which reaction is forward and which is backwards ?
No, as the equilibrium point is still the same
When does the reaction lie towards the product ?
When the reaction quotient is greater than one
When does the reaction lie towards the reactants ?
When the reaction quotient is less than one
What is the equilibrium constant ?
When a generic reaction at constant T and at equilibrium, the reaction quotient reaches a constant value
What is the law of mass action ?
the rate of any chemical reaction is proportional to the product of the masses of the reacting substances,
What does a larger Kc value mean ?
The more to the products the reaction will lie
What is le Chatelier’s Principle ?
When a chemical system at equilibrium is disturbed, it retains equilibrium by undergoing a net reaction that reduces the effect of the disturbance
