1. Module 7

1.15. Page 4

Lesson 3

Module 7—Principles of Chemical Equilibrium

Lesson Summary

 

In Lesson 3 you considered the following question:

  • Are all equilibrium states similar?

You completed a simulation of a system demonstrating dynamic equilibrium. This investigation helped you learn more about how an equilibrium can be established and what the relative proportions of products to reactants can be in a system at equilibrium.

 

You also learned that there are four positions for an equilibrium involving a chemical system:

  • Non-spontaneous: these systems have no apparent reaction.

  • Products favoured: the equilibrium has a percent yield that is greater than 50%, where the products of the forward reaction are favoured. The outcome for such a system is that the concentration of the products will be higher than that of the reactant species. You need to be able to differentiate this from what occurs when the system reaches its equilibrium and the rates of the forward and reverse reactions in the system are equal.

  • Reactants favoured: the equilibrium has a percent yield that is less than 50%, where the reactants of the forward reaction are favoured. The outcome for such a system is that the concentration of the products will be lower than that of the reactant species.

  • Quantitative: the equilibrium has a percent yield that is greater than 99%, where the products of the forward reaction are highly favoured.