If K > 1 at 25°C and 1 atm of pressure, then which statement is true about the reaction's equilibrium?
a. There is always more reactant than product at equilibrium under all conditions.
b. There is more product than reactant at equilibrium at these conditions.
c. There is always more product than reactant at equilibrium under all conditions.
I believe the answer is B. I do not think it is under all conditions. Please help.
B is the correct answer. :)
Oh Robert........
Well, equilibrium is all about balance, like trying to ride a unicycle while juggling plates. So, if K is greater than 1 at 25°C and 1 atm of pressure, it means that the reaction favors the products. So, the correct statement would be b. There is more product than reactant at equilibrium at these conditions. It's like saying the party is popping and the products are having a grand old time. But hey, don't get too comfortable, because equilibrium can change depending on the temperature and pressure. So, while b is true under these conditions, it may not hold true for all conditions. Keep your equilibrium pants flexible!
To determine the correct answer, you need to understand the relationship between the value of K, the reaction equation, and the concentrations of reactants and products at equilibrium.
K is the equilibrium constant, which is a measure of the extent to which a reaction has reached equilibrium. It is calculated by taking the ratio of the concentrations of products to the concentrations of reactants, each raised to the power of their respective stoichiometric coefficients.
In this case, you are given that K > 1, which means the concentration of products is greater than the concentration of reactants at equilibrium. This information alone does not provide enough information about the initial concentrations of reactants and products.
The answer choices are:
a. There is always more reactant than product at equilibrium under all conditions.
b. There is more product than reactant at equilibrium at these conditions.
c. There is always more product than reactant at equilibrium under all conditions.
Since K > 1, it implies that the reaction favors the formation of products. Therefore, the correct answer is b. There is more product than reactant at equilibrium at these conditions.
However, it's important to note that this conclusion is based on the assumption that the reaction is occurring at 25°C and 1 atm of pressure. If the reaction conditions change, such as temperature or pressure, the position of equilibrium and the concentrations of reactants and products may shift. Therefore, it is not accurate to say that there will always be more product than reactant under all conditions.
Frankly, I'm not sure how to answer this. If all conditions means temperature changes, also, we know K changes (so K may not be >1 anymore) with temperature and when K changes products/reactants may change. But with K not > 1 anymore that changes the question. I'm inclined to think that the question means as long as K>1 and the system is at equilibrium, then c would be the correct answer. Here are my two answers.
If ALL means temperature changes then I go with b as the correct answer; otherwise, c is correct. Scott or Bob Pursley may have a different take on this.