Core Concept

  • Chemical equilibrium occurs when forward and reverse reaction rates are equal
  • Concentrations of reactants and products remain constant (not necessarily equal)
  • Denoted by in chemical equations

Equilibrium Constant ()

For a general reaction:

The equilibrium constant is:

  • : Products are favored
  • : Reactants are favored
  • : Neither is strongly favored

Types of Equilibrium Constants

  • : Based on concentrations (mol/L)
  • : Based on partial pressures (atm)
    • Relationship:
    • Where moles of gaseous products - moles of gaseous reactants

Le Châtelier’s Principle

System at equilibrium will shift to counteract any imposed change:

  1. Concentration changes:

    • Adding reactant: Shifts right
    • Adding product: Shifts left
    • Removing reactant: Shifts left
    • Removing product: Shifts right
  2. Pressure/Volume changes (gases only):

    • Increasing pressure: Shifts toward fewer gas molecules
    • Decreasing pressure: Shifts toward more gas molecules
  3. Temperature changes:

    • Endothermic reaction ():
      • Increasing temperature shifts right
      • Decreasing temperature shifts left
    • Exothermic reaction ():
      • Increasing temperature shifts left
      • Decreasing temperature shifts right
  4. Catalysts:

    • No effect on equilibrium position
    • Only speeds up rate of reaching equilibrium

Calculating Equilibrium Concentrations

  1. Write balanced equation
  2. Set up ICE table (Initial, Change, Equilibrium)
  3. Express in terms of equilibrium concentrations
  4. Solve for unknown values

Reaction Quotient ()

  • Same form as but uses non-equilibrium concentrations
  • Comparing and :
    • : Reaction shifts right
    • : Reaction shifts left
    • : System at equilibrium

Common Ion Effect

  • Adding an ion already in solution shifts equilibrium
  • Example: Adding to shifts left

Acid-Base Equilibrium

  • : Acid dissociation constant
  • : Base dissociation constant
  • Relationship: at 25°C

Solubility

value /ksp >>> 1000 approx rule todo (u can ignore x with this )

x from the ICE tables also represents solubility of a compound

When coverting from pH to [], you want to use the n decimals (not the leading num) as the sig figs for your answer

Strong acid: HCl, HBr, HI, HNO3, H2SO4, HClO. Ionizes 100% in water.

  • Technically still at an equilibrium. .But the foward reaction is much much faster

Weak acids:

  • Don’t ionize 100% in water.
  • reach equilvrium with their anion and hydronium and therefore do nor ionize more

Group 1 bases are strong

Weak Base
  • Reacts with water to form hydroxide ion and a cation.
  • Reaches equilibrium