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Chemical Equilibrium


            Many physical and chemical changes that we encounter are reversible. For example, water changes into ice when temperature is lowered, and increasing the temperature reverses this process. Conversely, when heating water, it converts into steam, and lowering its temperature reverses the process.
             When the conditions are such that forward (represented by ) and backward (represented by ) reactions can both occur to a noticeable extent, the process is described as a reversible reaction.
             It has been found that after a certain time interval, reversible reactions attain a state of chemical equilibrium. A chemical is a substance obtained by a chemical process or used for producing a chemical effect. Equilibrium is a state of balance between opposing forces or actions that is static (as in a body acted on by forces whose result is zero), or dynamic (as in a reversible chemical reaction when the rates of reaction in both directions are equal). Chemical equilibrium is a state of balance in which two opposing reversible reactions no further change in composition with time can be detected, provided the temperature and pressure are not altered.
             Most reactions go to completion, that is, they proceed from reactants to products until all of one of the reactants is used completely. The reaction stops at this point. .
             Example: H2 + I2 _ 2HI.
             Sometimes, the products of a reaction will react with each other causing the reaction to reverse its direction. .
             Example: H2 + I2 ] 2HI.
             Reversible reactions can reach equilibrium with the reaction continuing at the same rate in both directions. .
             Example: H2 + I2 2HI.
             The rate expression for the forward reaction is: rate = kf [H2] [I2] .
             The rate expression for the reverse reaction is: rate = kr [HI]2 .
             At equilibrium, the rates of these two reactions are equal: kf [H2] [I2] = kr [HI]2 .
             Since both kf and kr are constants, the ratio kf kr is also a constant. .
             This new constant is the equilibrium constant, Keq.


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