30
Forward reaction in the above case is the combination of carbon dioxide and
water. Reverse reaction is disassociation of carbonic acid to form carbon dioxide
and water.
The rates of forward and backward reactions are different depending on various
factors such as temperature, pressure, quantity of reactants, and products. When the
rates of forward reaction are equal to the rates of reverse reaction, the condition is
said to be in equilibrium. The process of equilibrium occurs in many chemical reactions in the human body. The enzymes in human body catalyze forward as well as
reverse reactions so that our body do not overproduce certain chemicals. The carbon
dioxide formed during cellular respiration combines with water to create carbonic
acid, which then dissociates into bicarbonate and a hydrogen ion to resist changes
in pH within a narrow range (Hopkins and Sharma 2019).
According to Le Chatelier’s principle, a reaction, at equilibrium, will adjust
itself in such a way to relieve any force, or stress, that disturbs the equilibrium.
Three types of stresses can change an equilibrium system:
(1) Adding/removing reactants/products.
(2) Changing the temperature of the system.
(3) Changing the total pressure/volume.
Consider a reaction wherein A and B react to produce C and D.
wA xB
yC zD
+ +…
+
+…
..
..
Where w, x, y, and z are number of molecules of respective reactants and products
in the reaction.
Fig. 1.20 Frothing in
surface water streams due
to detergents
1 Fundamentals of Chemistry for Environmental and Medical Professionals
Forward reaction in the above case is the combination of carbon dioxide and
water. Reverse reaction is disassociation of carbonic acid to form carbon dioxide
and water.
The rates of forward and backward reactions are different depending on various
factors such as temperature, pressure, quantity of reactants, and products. When the
rates of forward reaction are equal to the rates of reverse reaction, the condition is
said to be in equilibrium. The process of equilibrium occurs in many chemical reactions in the human body. The enzymes in human body catalyze forward as well as
reverse reactions so that our body do not overproduce certain chemicals. The carbon
dioxide formed during cellular respiration combines with water to create carbonic
acid, which then dissociates into bicarbonate and a hydrogen ion to resist changes
in pH within a narrow range (Hopkins and Sharma 2019).
According to Le Chatelier’s principle, a reaction, at equilibrium, will adjust
itself in such a way to relieve any force, or stress, that disturbs the equilibrium.
Three types of stresses can change an equilibrium system:
(1) Adding/removing reactants/products.
(2) Changing the temperature of the system.
(3) Changing the total pressure/volume.
Consider a reaction wherein A and B react to produce C and D.
wA xB
yC zD
+ +…
+
+…
..
..
Where w, x, y, and z are number of molecules of respective reactants and products
in the reaction.
Fig. 1.20 Frothing in
surface water streams due
to detergents
1 Fundamentals of Chemistry for Environmental and Medical Professionals