If the equilibrium constant is much less than 1, how can you tell where the equilibrium lies?

A. Reactants are in the numerator of the equilibrium expression, so equilibrium lies toward the reactants.
B. Products are in the numerator of the equilibrium expression, so equilibrium lies toward the reactants.
C. Products are in the numerator of the equilibrium expression, so equilibrium lies toward the products.
D. Reactants are in the numerator of the equilibrium expression, so equilibrium lies toward the products.

To determine where the equilibrium lies when the equilibrium constant is much less than 1, you need to look at the equilibrium expression and identify whether the reactants or products are in the numerator.

In this case, the answer is A. Reactants are in the numerator of the equilibrium expression, so equilibrium lies toward the reactants.

To understand why this is the case, consider the equilibrium expression, which is a ratio of the concentration of products to the concentration of reactants.

If the equilibrium constant is much less than 1, it means that the concentration of reactants is much larger than the concentration of products. This suggests that the reaction strongly favors the reactants and that the equilibrium lies towards the reactants.

In other words, when the equilibrium constant is much less than 1, the reaction is "reactant-favored" or "reactant-driven." The reaction is more likely to proceed in the reverse direction, leading to higher concentrations of reactants compared to products at equilibrium.