Equilibrium Constant Quiz

The equilibrium constant, denoted as K, expresses the ratio of the concentrations of products to reactants at equilibrium for a chemical reaction. It is calculated by taking the product of the concentrations of the products, each raised to the power of their coefficients in the balanced chemical equation, divided by the product of the concentrations of the reactants, each raised to the power of their coefficients.

The value of the equilibrium constant indicates the position of the equilibrium. If K is much greater than 1, the equilibrium lies far to the right, indicating that the products are favored. If K is much less than 1, the equilibrium lies far to the left, indicating that the reactants are favored. If K is close to 1, the concentrations of the products and reactants are similar at equilibrium.

The value of the equilibrium constant for a given reaction can be affected by changes in temperature, pressure, and the concentrations of the reactants and products. Le Chatelier's principle states that if a system at equilibrium is disturbed, the system will adjust to counteract the disturbance, potentially altering the value of the equilibrium constant.