16
Chemical Equilibrium in Gases
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
When the reversible chemical reaction
aA+bB+cC+ • • • <=* mM + «N 4- •••
reaches equilibrium, the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are exactly
equal, and the net rate of reaction (V net ) is zero. Under these conditions,
Equation 15-15 can be rearranged and cast into the form
<
[ANimcr
The constant K e , which was not present in Equation 15-15, is a new constant
(the ratio of the forward and reverse rate constants) called the equilibrium
constant. Each of the quantities in brackets is the equilibrium concentration of
the substance shown. At any given temperature, the value of K e remains constant no matter whether you start with A, B, and C or with M and N, and
regardless of the proportions in which they are mixed. K e varies with temperature because k, and k T vary with temperature, but not by exactly the same
Chemical Equilibrium in Gases
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
When the reversible chemical reaction
aA+bB+cC+ • • • <=* mM + «N 4- •••
reaches equilibrium, the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are exactly
equal, and the net rate of reaction (V net ) is zero. Under these conditions,
Equation 15-15 can be rearranged and cast into the form
<
[ANimcr
The constant K e , which was not present in Equation 15-15, is a new constant
(the ratio of the forward and reverse rate constants) called the equilibrium
constant. Each of the quantities in brackets is the equilibrium concentration of
the substance shown. At any given temperature, the value of K e remains constant no matter whether you start with A, B, and C or with M and N, and
regardless of the proportions in which they are mixed. K e varies with temperature because k, and k T vary with temperature, but not by exactly the same