CHEM 116 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Stoichiometry, Equilibrium Constant, Dynamic Equilibrium

• School: Bloomsburg University
• Department: Chemistry
• Course: CHEM 116
• Professor: John Tamblin

Document Summary

In order to maintain equilibrium, hemoglobin binds oxygen when the surrounding oxygen concentration is high, but it releases oxygen when the surrounding oxygen concentration is low. Concentrations don"t change once equilibrium is reached. Equilibrium constant (k): the ratio (at equilibrium) of the concentrations of the products raised to their stoichiometric coefficients divided by the concentrations of the reactants raised to their stoichiometric coefficients. Law of mass action: the relationship between the balanced chemical equation and the expression of the equilibrium constant: equilibrium constant is always the same regardless of the initial concentrations (at constant temperature) Notice that the coefficients in the chemical equation become the exponents in the expression of the equilibrium constant. A large equilibrium constant indicates that the numerator (products) is larger than the denominator (reactants: therefore; when the equilibrium constant is large, the forward reaction is favored.