CHEM 1C Chapter 16: Ch 16 Detailed Reading Notes
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A reaction with a large equilibrium constant proceeds nearly to completion nearly all the reactants react to form products. A reaction with a small equilibrium constant barely proceeds at all nearly all the reactants remain as reactants, hardly forming any products. Large equilibrium constant (k>>1: numerator (products) is larger than the denominator (reactants, forward reaction is favored, high conc of products, low conc of reactants, could be a slow or fast reaction. Eq constant does not say how fast it reaches equilibrium but how far the reaction proceeded once equilibrium is reached. Small equilibrium constant (k<<1: reverse favored, more reactants than products when equilibrium is reached. Relationships between the equilibrium constant and the chemical equation. If we reverse equation, invert the equilibrium constant. If we multiply the coefficients in the equation by a factor, we raise the equilibrium constant to the same factor.