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📝 Equilibrium

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Dynamic equilibrium is the stage in a reversible reaction when the rate of the forward and backward reactions are the same and the concentrations of the components of the mixture remain constant. The direction in which the system will move to re-establish equilibrium can be predicted by Le Chatelier’s principle.
“If a constraint is imposed on a system at equilibrium, then the system will respond in such a way as to counteract the effect of that constraint.” When the concentration of one of the species is increased, the system will move to remove that species. When the concentration of one of the species is decreased, the system will move to replace that species.
When the pressure is increased, the system will move to the side with fewer moles in order to decrease the pressure. When the pressure is decreased, the system will move to the side with more moles in order to increase the pressure.
When the temperature is increased, the system will move in the endothermic direction in order to decrease the temperature. When the temperature is decreased, the system will move in the exothermic direction in order to increase the temperature.
When a catalyst is added, the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are increased by the same amount and the position of equilibrium is thus unaffected.
For an equilibrium reaction, there is a relationship between the concentrations of the reactants andproducts which is given by the equilibrium constant, K. The units of the equilibrium constant vary, depending on the number of species involved.